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CHILDREN'S 
i  OCCUPATIONS 


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THE  KINDERGARTEN  CHILDREN'S  HOUR 

Edited  by  Lucy  Wheelock 

IN  FIVE  VOLUMES 

ILLUSTRATED 

VOLUME  II 

children's  occupations 

By  Maude  Gushing  Nash 


DOLLS    FURNITURE 


CHILDREN'S 
OCCUPATIONS 


COPYRIGHT,    1920,    BY    HOUGHTON   MIFFLIN    COMPANY 
ALL    RIGHTS    RESERVED 


NOTE 

THE  editor  has  aimed  to  suggest  articles  easily 
made  from  materials  readily  accessible.  Kinder- 
garten supplies  may  be  obtained,  however,  if  one  pre- 
fers, from  local  dealers,  or  from  the  Milton  Bradley 
Company,  Springfield,  Massachusetts. 


CONTENTS 

I.  The  Merry  Little  Men 1 

II.  Kindergarten  Occupations 12 

in.  The  Little  Artist 32 

IV.  Use  of  Nature  Materials 52 

V.  Little  Farmers 61 

VI.  Value  of  Pets 72 

VII.  The  Little  Housekeeper 77 

VIII.  The  Doll-House 93 

IX.  ToY-To\\^  Villages 104 

X.  The  Scrapbook 121 

XI.  Toy-Making 131 

XII.  Holidays 147 

XIII.  Games 175 

XIV.  Make-Believe 199 

The  Folk-Lore  Tale  of  Kenny  Penny    .       .       .212 

Three  Little  Kittens 216 

Old  Mother  Hubbard  and  Her  Dog       .       .       .  220 

XV.  Building  and  Construction 224 

XVI.  The  Neighborhood  Group 245 

XVII.  Suggestive  Programmes 250 


ILLUSTRATIONS 

Doll's  Furniture  (page  142) Colored  Frontispiece 

Title-Page  (in  color) 

First  Forms  of  Paper-Folding 14 

Paper-Folding 16 

Paper-Tearing 18 

Paper- Weaving  (in  color)       20 

Weaving  (in  color) 22 

Card-Winding  with  Worsted  (in  color) 24 

Card-Sewing  (in  color) 26 

Kraus  Folding 28 

Cutting  and  Tearing 30 

First  Steps  with  Crayons  (in  color) 34 

Illustrating  with  Crayons  (in  color) 36 

First  Steps  in  Water-Colors  (in  color) 38 

Night  Scenes  in  Water-Colors  (in  color) 40 

Examples  of  Floating  Colors  (in  color) 42 

Clay-Modeling  (in  color) 46 

Clay  Beads  (in  color) 48 

Tiles  in  Clay  (in  color) 50 

Nature  Chains  (in  color) 54 

Construction  Work  with  Toothpicks  and  Peas     ....  56 

Nature  Toys 58 

Nature  Dolls 60 

Paper-Cutting  (in  color) 62 

Exterior  of  Doll-Houses 100 

Interior  of  Doll-Houses  (in  color) 102 

Toy-Town  Houses 106 

ix 


ILLUSTRATIONS 

A  Fabmtard 108 

A  Village  of  Building  Blocks 108 

An  Eskimo  Village 110 

A  Dutch  Village 110 

A  Chinese  Village 116 

Scrapbooks  (in  color) 124 

Home-made  Clocks 134 

Dolls  and  Pets  (in  color)       136 

Toy  Carts  from  Cardboard 138 

Home-made  Tots 140 

Christmas-Tree  Decorations  (in  color) 152 

Transparencies  (in  color) 156 

Paper  Patterns 166 

Windmills 168 

Transformation-Cutting  (in  color) 254 

Conventional  Design  from  the  Sixteen  Square  Fold    .     .  264 

Clay-Modeling  (in  color) 276 

Snowflake  Paper-Cutting 288 

Stories  Illustrated  by  Paper-Cutting  (in  color)    ....  294 

Paper-Cutting  and  Pasting 302 

Designing  in  Water-Colors  (in  color) 318 

Illustrating  with  Crayons  (in  color) 338 

Title-page  {in  color)  from  a  drawing  by  Alice  Ercle  Hunt. 
All  other  illustrations  are  from  photographs  of  objects  made. 


INTRODUCTION 

IT  is  the  purpose  of  this  book  to  open  the  eyes  of  par- 
ents to  a  reahzation  that  through  play  a  child  may 
be  led  to  desire  knowledge.  Give  your  boy  a  garden  of 
his  own,  and  while  digging  in  the  soil  and  planting  seeds 
he  \n411  develop  a  curiosity  to  learn  how  it  is  that  plants 
grow  from  seeds,  and  how  the  vegetables  he  eats  are 
produced.  Give  your  little  girl  an  opportunity  to  play 
with  dough,  and  in  later  years  she  will  hardly  remember 
the  time  when  she  first  learned  the  art  of  making  bread. 
By  playing  with  blocks  children  imitate  the  construc- 
tion of  buildings  they  have  seen.  There  are  hundreds 
of  ways  in  which  the  play  of  children  may  be  regulated 
so  that  they  will  develop  the  creative  instinct.  This  is 
what  happens  when  children  are  encouraged  to  make 
dolls  and  toys  from  common  materials  that  are  easily 
obtained.  They  become  inventors  by  acquiring  the 
habit  of  expressing,  through  their  hands,  the  thoughts 
of  their  minds.  Oftentimes  the  playthings  thus  manu- 
factured have  a  larger  value  in  the  eyes  of  the  children 
than  their  more  expensive  counterparts  purchased  in 
the  stores,  because  they  have  the  satisfaction  of  having 
made  such  toys  themselves. 

I  have  endeavored  to  explain  in  detail  a  large  variety 
of  occupations  for  little  hands,  such  as  are  commonly 
used  in  the  kindergartens,  endeavoring  to  present  the 
subject  in  such  a  way  that  any  mother  may  be  able  to 

xi 


INTRODUCTION 

direct  her  children  along  these  lines.  In  addition,  I  have 
suggested  some  programmes  by  means  of  which  the  chil- 
dren of  a  neighborhood  may  be  brought  together  and 
given  an  opportunity  to  develop  their  thoughts  and 
energies  in  work,  play,  and  song.  As  each  season  brings 
its  own  peculiar  interests,  these  programmes  have  been 
arranged  by  months,  so  that  the  occupations  of  this  na- 
ture may  be  conducted  continuously  out  of  doors  or 
indoors,  as  weather  conditions  permit,  and  in  accord- 
ance with  the  usual  festivities  pecuhar  to  certain  holi- 
days. 

Let  song  and  laughter  enter  into  every  occupation, 
whether  it  be  a  task  or  a  game.  Count  it  a  privilege  to 
live  with  the  children,  to  play  with  them,  and  to  see 
things  from  their  point  of  view.  Make  all  kinds  of  work 
seem  to  be  play,  because  of  the  enjoyment  that  enters 
into  it. 

This  book  will  have  accomplished  its  purpose  if, 
through  its  suggestions,  it  enables  you  to  fill  the  waking 
hours  of  your  children  with  beneficial  occupations,  for 
to  a  child  the  world  is  a  big  place  and  his  ideas  are  be- 
wildered when  he  is  left  entirely  to  himself.  The  direction 
you  will  thus  be  enabled  to  give  to  the  children's  play 
will  in  a  large  measure  determine  the  ideals  that  are  to 
influence  their  later  lives,  at  the  same  time  helping 
them  to  meet  their  problems  and  to  perform  their  tasks 
with  confidence  and  self-reliance. 

Maude  Cushing  Nash 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 
I 

THE  MERRY  LITTLE  MEN 

"A  little  baby  came  to  town. 
He  opened  his  eyes  and  looked  around. 
What  is  this  place?'  and  'WTio  am  I? 
Can  I  move  and  feel  and  cry? 
Who  is  this  -mth  eyes  of  brown 
That  cuddles  me  up,  then  lays  me  down? 
Ah,  well!  there's  much  for  me  to  learn. 
And  I  '11  try  each  day  to  squirm  and  squirm. 
Till  a  real  person  I'll  grow  to  be, 
And  find  this  is  Mother  who  truly  loves  me.'" 

IT  is  said  that  sensation  is  the  world  of  consciousness: 
thus  the  tiny  baby  is  awakened  by  sensations  of  hun- 
ger or  discomfort  into  a  world  unknown.  Because  of  a 
poverty  of  past  experiences,  there  is  nothing  connected 
in  his  mind.  By  chance,  when  a  finger  or  toe  reaches  his 
mouth  there  is  a  beginning  of  experience  which,  when 
repeated,  becomes  an  activity  of  physical  and  mental 
growth.  New  sensations  are  experienced,  and  he  real- 
izes in  part  his  personal  control  of  such  action  when  he 
has  tried  the  movement  several  times.  As  new  experi- 
ences come,  perchance  through  instinctive  or  reflex 
motions,  he  is  connecting  himself  with  the  world  about 
him,  especially  if  the  mother  is  by  his  side  to  encourage 
this  growth.  Tenderly  the  mother  fondles  her  baby  and 
in  reality  is  opening  the  field  of  play.  Through  the  play 
comes  an  awakening  of  feelings,  presentiments,  and 

1 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

yearnings.  Muscular  activity  develops  the  physical 
body  and  opens  the  way  to  self-activity.  Mental  ac- 
tivity creates  knowledge,  consciousness  is  awakened  by 
sensations,  and,  greatest  of  all,  the  mother's  singing 
and  tender  words  weave  a  spiritual  web  about  the  soul 
of  this  precious  little  being.  All  this  makes  up  the  life 
of  the  first  year,  and  how  essential  it  is  that  a  mother 
should  realize  her  part  in  developing  the  senses  aright ! 
As  everything  touched  seems  to  go  to  the  mouth  first, 
see  to  it  that  this  activity  does  not  become  a  constant 
habit.  Have  simple  articles  near  by  that  the  hands, 
which  are  in  perpetual  motion,  may  grasp.  Choose  toys 
made  of  celluloid  or  rubber  that  can  be  washed  and  are 
harmless  if  carried  to  the  mouth. 

Complete  joy,  accompanied  by  coos  and  gurgles,  fills 
the  baby's  mind  when  freed  from  clothing  so  that  the 
limbs  can  kick  and  arms  can  fist  the  air.  What  a  bond 
of  sympathy  comes  between  mother  and  child  as  she 
sings  the  traditional  ditties !  Mother  pats  the  bottom  of 
little  feet,  first  one  and  then  the  other,  saying : 

Shoe  the  old  horse,  shoe  the  old  mare. 
Let  the  little  colt  go  bare,  bare,  bare. 

Take  a  foot  in  each  hand,  crossing  the  legs  first  one 
way  and  then  the  other  way,  in  rhythm  to  the  lines : 

Leg  over,  leg  over,  dog  went  to  Dover! 
When  he  got  there,  hop!  he  went  over! 

With  the  last  line  raise  both  little  limbs  into  the  air, 
raising  the  body  slightly,  making  a  slight  bounce. 

Playing  with  the  individual  toes  has  always  been  a 
game  which  brings  forth  squeals  and  delight  to  the 

2 


THE  MERRY  LITTLE  MEN 

growing  baby.  The  tiny  muscles  of  the  toes  need  exer- 
cise, so  these  pulls  and  pinches  give  great  satisfaction. 
The  time-worn  verse  runs  as  follows,  beginning  with 
the  big  toe: 

This  little  pig  went  to  markei. 
This  little  pig  stayed  at  home 
This  little  pig  had  roast  beef. 
This  little  pig  had  none. 
And  this  little  pig  cried, 
*Wee,  wee,  wee,"  all  the  way  home! 

The  following  jingle  comes  from  China  where  baby's 
toes  are  played  with  in  the  same  fashion : 

This  little  one  eats  grass. 
This  little  one  eats  hay. 
This  little  one  drinks  water. 
This  little  one  runs  away. 
This  little  one  does  nothing. 
But  just  lies  down  all  day. 

With  the  last  line,  big  sister  or  mother  playfully  slaps 
the  soles  of  baby's  feet. 

How  happy  the  child  is  when  big  enough  to  have 
father  place  him  across  his  foot  and  play  '*Ride  a  cock 
horse  to  Banbury  Cross."  Now  place  the  little  one  on 
your  lap  and  make-beheve  go  to  ride,  saying: 

This  is  the  way  the  lady  rides  — 
Trot  —  Trot  —  Trot.     {Gently.) 

This  is  the  way  the  gentleman  rides  — 
Gallop  —  Gallop  —  Gallop.     (Stately.) 

And  this  is  the  way  the  farmer  rides  — 
Bumpity  —  Bumpity  —  Bump. 

(Rolling  from  side  to  side.) 

Another  ride  on  the  knees  is  accompanied  with  these 
words : 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

Trot,  trot  to  Boston, 
Trot,  trot  to  Lynn, 
Trot,  trot  to  Salem, 
Then  trot  home  again. 

Here  is  another  saying  with  two  verses.  The  first 
verse  is  repeated  slowly: 

Trot,  trot  to  Boston 
To  buy  a  fat  pig. 
Home,  home,  home  again, 
Jiggity,  jiggity,  jig. 

Ride,  very  slowly  with  second  verse: 

Trot,  trot  to  Boston 
To  buy  a  fat  hog. 
Home,  home,  home  again, 
Joggity,  joggity,  jog. 

The  first  idea  of  mystery  comes  to  the  child  when 
mother  plays  the  first  Hiding  Game.  Mother  hides  her 
face  and  baby  pulls  the  handkerchief  away  to  find  her, 
for  he  is  very  happy  in  Mother's  smile  when  she  says 
"Peek-a-boo"  to  him.  Then  Baby  hides  behind  the 
handkerchief  and  Mother  finds  him  in  the  same  manner. 
Both  hands  are  also  used  to  cover  the  face  and  play  peek 
in  the  same  way. 

All  games  and  plays  of  children  are  based  on  physi- 
cal development.  The  baby  begins  to  realize  that  he 
has  eyes,  ears,  nose  like  Mother.  He  is  learning  about 
himself  as  well  as  developing  a  vocabulary  in  naming 
different  parts  of  his  face. 

The  following  verses  he  loves  to  hear  Mother  say,  or 
to  repeat  after  her: 


THE  MERRY  LITTLE  MEN 
baby's  house 

Knock  at  the  door  of  a  little  white  house.     (Foreheoil.) 

I  wonder  who  lives  inside,  — 
Peep  in  here  at  a  window  bright,     (Eyes.) 

Now  don't  you  try  to  hide! 
Lift  the  latch  with  a  cautious  hand     (Nose.) 

Or  somebody  '11  turn  the  key. 
Then  walk  in  through  the  doors  ajar,     (Mouth.) 

But  don't  you  stay  to  tea; 
For  the  little  white  dogs  that  live  inside     (Teeth.) 

Might  gobble  you  up,  you  see. 

LORD  MAYOR 

Here  sits  the  Lord  Mayor.     (Forehead.) 
Here  sit  his  two  men,     (Eyes.) 
Here  sits  the  cock,     (Right  cheek.) 
Here  sits  the  hen,     (Left  cheek.) 
Here  sit  the  chickens,     ( Top  of  nose.) 
Here  they  run  in  —      (Month.) 
Chin  chopper,  chin  chopper. 
Chin  chopper,  chin. 

Using  the  hands,  point  to  all  parts  of  the  body  as  they 
are  mentioned : 

Two  little  eyes  to  open  and  close, 
Tw^o  little  ears  and  one  little  nose. 
Two  little  lips  and  one  little  chin. 
And  two  little  cheeks  with  a  rose  shut  in. 

Two  little  elbows,  dimpled  and  sweet. 
Two  little  shoes  and  two  little  feet. 
Two  little  shoulders,  stout  and  strong. 
And  two  little  hands,  busy  all  day  long. 

Here  is  still  another  one  and  much  simpler: 

Knock  at  the  door.     (Forehead.) 
Peek  in.     (Eyes.) 
Lift  up  the  latch,     (Nose.) 
And  walk  in.     (Mouth.) 

Take  a  chair  right  down  there.     (Hastily  tickle  neck.) 
5 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

With  the  discovery  of  his  hands  the  child  is  amused 
for  a  long  time.  The  wiggling  of  each  little  finger  inter- 
ests him  as  do  the  toes.  Inasmuch  as  the  hand  is  one  of 
the  human  being's  greatest  factors,  too  much  stress  can 
never  be  laid  upon  its  development. 

In  distinction  from  the  animals,  prehistoric  man  rose 
to  a  world  of  his  own  when  he  found  he  could  make 
things.  As  the  hands  developed  their  powder,  so  the  mind 
in  parallel  channels  has  arisen  to  advanced  thinking. 
The  mother,  therefore,  in  her  moments  of  leisure  with  her 
baby,  can  hold  the  little  hands  and  fingers,  imagining 
what  wonderful  powers  lie  hidden  in  the  delicate  muscles. 
At  this  point  playful  exercises  amuse  the  baby  and  yet 
give  stimulus  to  growth.  Through  counting  the  fingers 
in  rhyme  and  song  there  comes  not  only  an  educational 
value,  but  a  flow  of  rhythm  and  happy  play. 

Dramatic  action  with  the  fingers,  combined  with  im- 
agination, of  which  the  child  has  an  abundance,  illus- 
trates these  rhymes  and  affords  great  amusement. 

Five  little  soldiers  standing  in  a  row.     {Hand  outspread.) 
Three  stood  straight  and  two  stood  so. 

(Three  fingers  up,  two  fingers  bent  over.) 
Along  came  the  general,     (Thumb  of  other  hand.) 
And  what  do  you  think? 
Those  two  little  soldiers 
Jumped  —  quick  as  a  wink.     (Spoken  rapidly.) 

Naming  and  counting  fingers: 

"  I  am  one,"  said  little  thumb. 

**I  am  two,"  said  pointer. 

"I  am  three,"  the  tall  man  said. 

"I  am  four,"  said  ring  finger, 

"And  I  am  five,"  the  baby  cried; 

"You  could  not  catch  me  if  you  tried!'* 


THE  MERRY  LITTLE  MEN 

Bedtime  story  for  the  fingers,  bending  them  over  into 
the  palm  of  the  hand  one  by  one : 

Tired  and  sleepy  the  thumb  went  to  bed. 
The  pointer  so  straight  fell  down  on  his  head. 
The  tall  man  said  he  would  cuddle  up  tight, 
"While  the  ring  finger  curled  himself  out  of  sight. 
And  last  of  all,  weary  and  lonesome,  too. 
The  little  one  hid  and  cried  Boo-hoo!       (Crying.) 

THE  WASH  BENCH  FINGER  PLAY 
I 
Here's  a  little  wash  bench, 

(Fingers  clasped  in  horizontal  position,  thumbs  turning  dovmward, 
resting  on  table  or  lap  to  represent  legs.) 
Here's  a  little  tub, 

(All  fingers  touching  at  ends  to  make  oval  shape.) 
Here's  a  little  scrubbing  board, 

(Left  hand  in  vertical  position,  tips  of  fingers  resting  on  table  or 
lap.) 
And  this  is  the  way  we  scrub. 

(Right  hand  forming  a  fist  and  making  scrubbing  motion  over  thty 
left  hand.) 

II 

Here's  a  little  cake  of  soap, 

(Thumb  and  pointer  meeting  at  ends  to  make  oval  shape.) 
And  here's  a  dipper  new, 

(Pointer  of  left  hand  attached  to  oval  shape  in  right  hand.) 
Here's  the  wide,  deep  clothes-basket, 

(Two  arms  joined  in  front  to  make  circle.) 
And  here  are  clothespins  two. 

(Fingers  bent  into  palms.   Pointer  and  tall  man  hanging  down, 
representing  shape  of  clothespin.  Do  this  with  both  hands.) 

Ill 

Here's  the  line  above  so  high, 

(With  both  hands  stretch  an  imaginary  line  in  opposite  direction.) 
And  now  the  clothes  are  flying. 

(Hang  up  imaginary  clothes.) 

7 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

Here's  the  sun  so  warm  and  bright, 

{With  arms  make  large  circle  over  head.) 
And  now  the  clothes  are  drying! 

FINGER  PLAY  —  LITTLE  SQUIRRELS 

Five  little  squirrels  sat  up  in  a  tree. 

This  one  said,  "What  do  I  see?" 

This  one  said,  "I  smell  a  gun." 

This  one  said,  "Oh,  let's  run." 

This  one  said,  "Let's  hide  in  the  shade." 

This  one  said,  "I'm  not  afraid." 

{Suddenly  clap  hands.) 
Bang,  went  the  gun;  they  ran  every  one. 

{Put  hands  quickly  behind  the  back.) 

FIVE  LITTLE  CHICKENS 

Imagine  each  finger  in  turn  represents  a  chicken: 

Said  the  first  little  chicken  with  a  queer  little  squirm, 

"I  wish  I  could  find  a  nice  fat  worm." 

Said  the  second  chicken  with  an  odd  little  shrug, 

"I  wish  I  could  find  a  nice  fat  bug." 

Said  the  third  little  chicken  with  a  sigh  of  relief, 

"I  wish  I  could  find  a  nice  green  leaf." 

Said  the  fourth  little  chicken  with  a  faint  little  moan, 

"I  wish  I  could  find  a  wee  gravel  stone." 

Said  the  fifth  little  chicken  with  a  queer  little  squeal, 

"I  wish  I  could  find  some  nice  yellow  meal." 

"Novv-,  come  here,"  said  the  mother  from  the  green  garden  patch, 

"K  you  want  any  breakfast,  come  here  and  scratch." 

{Spoken  somewhat  sternly.) 

This  has  a  twofold  value  in  that  it  is  instructive  to  the 
child  as  to  needs  of  the  chicken,  and  it  has  a  moral  les- 
son. The  following  also  calls  for  questions  from  the 
nature  world  and  experiences  of  the  farmer.  It  is  to  be 
repeated  as  each  finger  is  touched  and  two  fingers  at 
the  last: 

8 


THE  MERRY  LITTLE  MEN 

PLANTING  FIVE  SEEDS  IN  A  ROW 

One  for  the  blackbird. 
One  for  the  crow. 
One  for  the  cutworm. 
And  two  to  grow! 

As  the  child's  vocabulaiy  increases  and  he  can  follow 
directions,  he  will  wish  to  say  and  act  out  these  finger 
plays,  and  because  of  his  great  desire  to  repeat  many 
times,  he  will  soon  have  them  memorized. 

A  simple  gymnastic  exercise  which  has  a  quieting 
effect  is  given  while  the  child  is  sitting  in  a  chair.  Have 
the  arms  stretched  forward  in  a  horizontal  position 
from  the  shoulder,  and  act  out  the  words  with  hands 
as  he  says : 

Open,  shut,  open,  shut, 

And  give  a  little  slap; 

Open,  shut,  open,  shut, 

And  lay  them  in  youi  lap. 

FIVE  LITTLE  FROGS 
Point  to  each  finger: 

Five  little  frogs  sitting  in  a  row. 

This  one  said,  "I  stubbed  my  toe." 

This  one  said,  "Oh  —  oh  —  oh." 

And  this  little  one  laughed  and  was  glad. 

This  one  cried  and  he  was  sad. 

And  this  one  hopped  off  to  the  doctor's 

As  fast  as  he  could  go.     {Spoken  quickly.) 

THE  FIVE  COWS 

Point  to  each  finger: 

This  mooly  cow  ate  the  sweet  meadow  hay. 
This  mooly  cow  switched  her  tail  all  day. 
9 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

This  mooly  cow  chewed  her  cud  in  the  shade. 
This  mooly  cow  in  the  water  would  wade. 
This  mooly  cow  said,  "The  sun's  going  down. 
We  must  take  back  the  milk  to  the  babies  in  town.** 

MON  PETIT  LAPIN  —  MY  LITTLE  RABBIT 

Mon  petit  lapin 

A  bien  du  chagrin. 

n  ne  saute  plus, 

II  ne  court  plus 

Dans  le  jardin. 

Saute,  saute,  saute,  lapin; 

Saute,  mon  petit  lapin. 

My  little  rabbit 

Has  many  troubles. 

He  does  not  jump. 

He  does  not  run 

In  the  garden. 

Jump,  jump,  jump,  rabbit; 

Jump,  my  little  rabbit. 

{To  imitate  the  ears  of  the  rabbit,  put  the  closed 

hands  up  on  the  forehead  ;  lift  up  the  forefingers 

of  the  two  hands  and  move  them  slowly.) 
(To  imitate  the  jumps    of  the  rabbit,  throw  the 

hands  forward,  at  the  same  time  jump  with  the 

feet) 

LA  SOURIS  —  THE  MOUSE 

La  petite  souris  a  passe  par  ici. 
Celui-ci  I'a  vue, 
Celui-ci  a  couru  apres, 
Celui-ci  I'a  attrapee, 
Celui-ci  I'a  mangee  —  i-i-i. 

The  little  mouse  passed  through  here. 

(With  the  forefinger  of  the  right  hand  turn  in 
the  center  of  the  palm  of  the  left  hand.) 
This  one  saw  it, 

(Shake  the  forefinger  of  the  left  hand.) 

10 


THE  MERRY  LITTLE  MEN 

This  one  ran  after  it, 

(Shake  the  major  finger  of  the  left  hand.) 
This  one  caught  it, 

(Shake  the  ring  finger.) 
This  one  ate  it  —  e-e-e-e. 

(Shake  the  little  finger.) 

LES  MARIONNETTES  —  PUPPET  SHOW,  OR  PUPPETS 

Ainsi  font,  font,  font 
Les  petites  Marionnettes. 
Ainsi  font,  font,  font. 

(Lift  the  hands  and  turn  them  in  the  air.) 
Trois  petits  tours  et  puis  s'en  vont. 

(Three  turns  like  the  mill,  then  put  the  hands 
behind  the  back.) 

This  is  the  way 

The  little  puppets. 

This  is  the  way 

They  do  three  little  turns 

And  then  go  away. 


II 

KINDERGARTEN  OCCUPATIONS 
PAPER-FOLDING 

THERE  is  always  something  fascinating  about  a 
piece  of  paper,  and  as  a  child's  inquisitive  nature 
develops  there  is  great  opportunity  to  suggest  and  create 
with  this  material.  Paper  can  be  purchased  in  all  the 
pretty  colors  with  their  tints  and  shades,  but  this  should 
be  kept  for  special  occasions. 

For  immediate  use  the  wrapping-paper  near  at  hand 
will  suffice  for  the  beginner.  Your  attention  is  called  to 
the  paper  used  in  the  department  stores  for  wrapping 
purposes.  You  will  find  different  shades  of  brown  or 
green;  sometimes  two  shades  with  stripes  or  figures 
have  been  noted.  E  the  paper  is  somewhat  wrinkled,  a 
warm  iron  will  bring  it  back  to  smoothness.  From  this 
paper  cut  perfect  squares,  four  inches  being  an  ordi- 
nary dimension.  If  you  can  spare  the  paper,  eight-inch 
squares  are  easier  for  a  child  to  manage  and  see  what  he 
is  doing. 

When  a  child  is  given  a  square,  he  is  absorbed  for 
some  time  trying  to  see  what  he  can  do  with  it.  Finally, 
a  note  of  discouragement  in  his  voice  gives  you  the  op- 
portunity to  suggest.  The  simplest  thing  to  do  is  first 
to  fold  the  right  edge  to  the  left  edge,  having  the  corners 
touch  as  accurately  as  possible  that  good  results  may 
follow.  In  this  folding  the  first  thought  is  that  a  book 
has  been  made.  Several  of  these  folds  may  be  made  and 

12 


KINDERGARTEN  OCCUPATIONS 

pinned  together  in  the  middle.  The  completed  book  may- 
afford  amusement  for  the  child  if  he  is  permitted  to  draw 
or  write  on  the  pages.  At  all  events,  he  is  proud  of  the 
book  he  has  made. 

Going  back  to  the  one  piece  of  folded  paper,  stand  it 
up  on  edge  and  it  may  be  called  a  screen;  then  let  the 
child  peek  behind  it,  and,  if  his  imagination  is  great,  he 
will  doubtless  tell  stories  of  the  mysteries  behind  the 
screen. 

Open  the  paper  again  and  fold  each  edge,  meeting  at 
the  middle  crease.  Again  the  imagination  comes  into 
play,  for  here  you  open  the  blinds  and  find  a  window. 
With  a  few  strokes  of  a  pencil,  curtain  effects  make  the 
window  seem  more  real.  Now  turn  the  window  over  so 
that  the  screens  become  legs,  and  then  it  can  be  called  a 
table. 

Take  another  square  piece  of  paper.  Make  the  first 
fold  down  the  center,  then  make  the  same  fold  the  other 
way,  lower  edge  to  the  upper  edge.  Now  the  paper  is 
creased  into  four  squares  and  you  can  caU  it  a  window 
with  four  panes  of  glass. 

If  you  fold  the  paper  the  first  vertical  fold  and  then 
over  this  the  horizontal  fold,  you  will  make  a  napkin  or 
handkerchief.  This  can  be  designed  with  a  few  strokes 
of  the  pencil,  or,  to  make  it  seem  more  realistic,  the 
child's  initials  may  be  printed. 

The  next  fold  is  to  make  sixteen  squares.  This  is  done 
by  combining  the  folds  of  the  vertical  and  horizontal 
square  folds  with  the  folds  of  the  blind,  the  latter  also 
folded  horizontally  and  vertically.  The  paper,  when 
opened  again,  will  have  sixteen  creased  squares. 

13 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

THE  BARN 

Fold  the  first  horizontal  fold  again  on  this  creased 
paper,  keeping  fold  at  the  top.  Take  corner  marked  with 
an  X  and  open  haKway  back  on  itself,  bringing  X  down 
to  the  second  crease,  and  the  sides  become  diagonal.  Do 
the  same  to  the  left-hand  corner.  You  now  see  the  barn 
with  its  two  big  doors  which  have  swung  open  to  let  the 
hay  wagon  in  and  the  cows  into  their  stalls. 

BENCH 

To  make  a  bench,  take  this  same  barn,  and  you  find 
the  squares  1  and  2  are  free  to  be  lifted  up  so  they  will 
remain  in  a  horizontal  position.  Now  fold  the  sides  3 
and  4  forward  to  meet  the  sides  of  1  and  2,  and  you  will 
then  have  a  bench  which  can  stand  up.  By  cutting  off 
one  row  from  the  sixteen  squares,  leaving  a  fold  of  three 
squares  one  way  and  four  squares  the  other  way,  folding 
by  same  barn-door  process,  you  will  see  a  narrower 
bench;  so  call  it  a  chair. 

PICTURE  FRAME 

Take  another  piece  of  paper  and  fold  into  sixteen 
squares.  Now  bring  each  one  of  the  four  corners  of  the 
square  into  the  center  and  do  not  open.  Turn  it  over  on 
the  other  side  and  again  fold  each  one  of  those  four 
corners  into  the  center  and  let  them  remain.  Turn  back 
again  to  the  front  side  and  you  will  find  four  points  in 
the  center  which  you  can  turn  back  halfway,  and  leave 
an  open  space  in  the  center.  A  picture  can  be  inserted 
here  and  used  as  a  valentine.  These  four  points  may 
be  turned  back  in  several  different  folds  which  may  be 
suggested  to  you  as  you  make  them. 

14 


FIRST  FORMS  OF  PAPER-FOLDING 


KINDERGARTEN  OCCUPATIONS 

WINDMILL 

Fold  a  paper  in  sixteen  squares,  then  make,  diagonal 
folds  from  corner  to  corner.  Open  again  and  fold  over 
the  top  row  of  squares,  fold  over  the  right-hand  row  of 
squares,  pulling  out  the  top  square  to  a  point  and  flatten. 
Turn  the  paper  around,  doing  the  same  to  each  corner. 
This  will  make  the  four  arms  of  the  windmill. 

BOAT 

Fold  sixteen  squares  and  diagonals.  Fold  as  for  wind- 
mill, only  fold  upper  and  lower  left-hand  corners  toward 
each  other  and  upper  and  lower  right-hand  corners 
toward  each  other.  Now  fold  the  center  fold  backward 
on  its  horizontal  diameter  and  a  double  boat  is  made. 

SOLDIER  CAPS 

The  simplest  form  of  a  soldier  cap  is  made  by  folding  a 
square  to  the  handkerchief  shape.  Take  the  top  square 
and  fold  back  on  itself  in  triangular  form.  Take  the  re- 
maining three  squares  together  and  fold  back  the  op- 
posite way  and  you  can  open  the  cap  at  the  fold.  An 
ordinary  paper  napkin  folded  in  this  way  will  fit  a 
child's  head,  but  a  twenty-inch  square  is  necessary  for 
an  adult.  This  may  be  decorated  on  the  sides  with  fancy 
ornaments. 

Make  the  two  diagonal  folds  of  a  square  piece  of 
paper.  Having  one  point  facing  you,  fold  it  and  its  op- 
posite point  into  the  center.  Now  fold  these  two  sides 
together  bringing  lower  edge  over  to  the  top  edge.  These 
will  naturally  fold  on  the  long  horizontal  fold  you  have 
already  made,  and  will  make  the  other  points  you  have 

15 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

not  touched  crease  in  halves.  Take  the  right-hand 
point  and  fold  it  upwards  at  right  angles  with  the  cen- 
ter. The  point  will  go  above  the  center.  Fold  the  point 
over  and  tuck  it  down  between  the  sides.  Now  turn  the 
cap  over  on  the  other  side.  Again  you  will  have  the 
long  point  on  the  right-hand  side.  Do  as  before,  fold- 
ing this  point  upwards  at  right  angles  to  center  crease. 
The  point  which  goes  halfway  above,  fold  over  and 
tuck  between  the  original  folds.  You  will  see  you  have 
a  pointed  soldier  cap  which  cannot  come  undone.  Dec- 
orate with  a  side  cockade  or  feather.  To  fit  a  child's 
head,  a  square  of  paper  from  nineteen  to  twenty  inches 
will  be  needed. 

The  overseas  cap  recalls  a  distinctive  shape,  one  which 
is  liked  by  the  children  and  is  also  becoming.  Take  a 
piece  of  brown  wrapping-paper,  cutting  it  nine  inches 
wide  and  about  twenty-three  inches  long.  Turn  up  one 
inch  on  one  long  edge.  Bring  left  and  right  edges  to- 
gether in  the  middle,  lapping  over  an  inch,  and  fasten- 
ing with  a  brass  pin  or  by  gluing  it.  Remember  to  keep 
the  inch  edge,  which  is  turned  up,  on  the  outside  of  the 
cap. 

Take  the  upper  right-hand  corner  as  it  is  doubled 
and  fold  over  to  the  middle  where  the  paper  is  lapped. 
Bring  the  left-hand  corner  down  to  meet  it  at  the  center. 
This  forms  a  point  at  the  top.  Take  this  top,  folding  it 
over  and  down  the  center,  meeting  the  side  edges,  which 
are  folded.  Through  these  several  thicknesses  of  paper, 
put  another  brass  fastener,  putting  your  hand  inside  the 
cap  so  it  will  not  go  through  the  other  side.  Here  you 
find  your  cap  complete.  As  it  is  of  the  brown  paper,  it 

16 


PAPER-FOLDING 


KINDERGARTEN  OCCUPATIONS 

will  greatly  resemble  the  khaki  caps  worn  by  our  sol- 
diers in  action.  These  caps  are  also  attractive  when 
made  in  varied  colors  of  crepe  paper  and  used  at  chil- 
dren's parties. 

Another  paper  cap  is  easily  made,  though  not  by 
folding,  but  may  be  of  interest  at  this  point.  With 
heavy  paper  make  an  inch- wide  head-band  joining  by 
glue  or  brass  fasteners.  Take  any  colored  tissue  or 
crepe  paper  desired,  head-band  length  and  nine  or  ten 
inches  wide.  Paste  or  sew  one  edge  around  the  head- 
band ;  gather  the  other  edge  to  a  point  and  tie,  putting 
on  streamers  or  rosettes.  A  set  design  of  a  contrasting 
color  decorates  the  head-band.  These  can  be  rapidly 
made  and  bring  forth  great  merriment  at  festive  occa- 
sions. 

THE  KITE 

With  a  fresh  paper,  fold  over  one  diagonal  crease  only. 
This  is  called  the  shawl  fold.  Surely  the  little  boy  would 
like  a  kite.  Open  this  paper  with  the  crease  vertical  to 
you.  Bring  the  lower  right  side  over  to  the  center,  then 
likewise  bring  the  left  over  to  the  center,  and  you  have 
made  the  kite. 

TENT 

Invert  the  kite,  bringing  the  sharper  point  at  the  top. 
At  the  bottom,  fold  back  the  point  to  the  horizontal 
edges  of  the  paper.  To  please  the  boy's  imagination, 
fold  back  the  loose  corners  of  the  flaps  a  little  way,  and 
stories  of  tent  life  will  be  brought  to  mind.  The  tent 
will  stand  by  itself  if  the  point  turned  under  is  properly 
adjusted. 

17 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

DRINKING-CUP 

Very  often  a  drinking-cup  is  quickly  needed  and  it  is 
well  to  know  that  one  can  easily  be  created.  An  eight- 
inch  square  of  paper  makes  a  convenient  size.  Make  the 
crease  of  both  diagonals.  With  one  fold  toward  you, 
take  with  both  hands  the  left  and  right  points  and  lay 
over  one  another  until  they  cross  evenly,  the  upper 
edges  becoming  a  straight  line  on  the  other  diagonal 
fold.  Now  fold  down  the  top  corner  facing  you  upon 
these  folds.  The  other  corner,  fold  backward,  and  you 
will  find  you  have  a  cup  to  open. 

PAPER-TEARING 

The  study  of  hands  and  the  wonderful  gifts  which  lie 
hidden  in  the  power  of  little  muscles  of  the  fingers  are 
so  numerous  and  fascinating  that  the  subject  will  never 
be  exhausted.  Children  cannot  be  guided  too  early  in 
making  good  use  of  them,  and  paper  is  one  of  the  best 
materials  to  practice  on.  We  have  seen  the  charms  of 
careful  folding,  but  now  let  us  create  by  tearing.  The 
youngest  child  is  fascinated  by  the  crumpling  of  paper. 
If  carefully  watched  so  that  it  does  not  go  into  the 
mouth,  the  baby  will  have  a  happy  hour,  just  tearing, 
because  of  the  sound  and  seeing  something  happen. 
Give  an  older  child  some  paper  and  tell  him  to  tear  it 
into  some  shape.  He  is  likely  to  say  he  can't,  so,  if  he 
has  nothing  to  offer,  tear  at  random  and  see  if  any  ob- 
ject can  be  imagined  in  it.  Always  hold  paper  between 
thumb  and  forefinger  of  both  hands  close  together  and 
tear  a  small  bit  at  a  time,  thus  getting  finer  detail  of  the 
object  desired.   In  deciding  upon  a  tree,  start  tearing 

18 


PAPER-TEARING 


KINDERGARTEN  OCCUPATIONS 

the  trunk,  and  balance  each  side  as  nearly  as  possible 
as  you  go  out  to  the  branches.  It  is  only  by  practice  that 
you  can  attain  success,  and  though  this  is  one  of  the  arts 
which  seems  hopeless  at  first,  it  rapidly  develops.  The 
child's  little  fingers  are  soon  trained  so  he  can  make  his 
own  picture  of  a  snowman,  rabbit,  butterfly,  apple, 
pear,  or  house.  With  a  piece  of  paper  folded,  tearing 
double  will  quickly  make  some  objects.  The  lack  of  a 
pair  of  scissors  should  not  stand  in  the  way  of  creating 
amusement  as  well  as  pretty  pictures.  With  trees, 
houses,  flowers,  etc.,  real  landscape  effects  can  be 
arranged.  Calendars  may  be  made  for  gifts  by  pasting 
some  of  the  torn  designs  upon  a  cardboard  background 
and  a  calendar  pad  placed  below.  With  groups  of 
children,  a  game  or  guessing  contest  can  be  enjoyed  by 
deciding  what  the  object  torn  is  supposed  to  represent. 

WEAVING 

PAPER- WEAVING 

There  has  been  much  discussion  among  educators  as 
to  the  advisability  of  having  young  children  do  weaving 
The  accuracy  needed  for  this  work,  which  brings  strain 
on  the  eyes,  may  cause  some  question.  Starting  with 
coarse  material,  however,  the  child  gains  much  powder 
in  his  hands  without  too  close  application,  thus  preparing 
himself  for  finer  work  later.  Any  cardboard  near  at 
hand  may  be  used  for  a  mat.  Heavy  manila  or  bogus 
paper  is  good,  and  some  people  have  used  oilcloth  satis- 
factorily. Mark  off  with  pencil  and  ruler  a  border  of  an 
inch  width  all  round  an  8  x  10-inch  mat.  On  the  narrow 
way  of  the  paper  make  six  slits  an  inch  wide  and  within 

19 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

the  border-line.  Now  from  the  same  heavy  paper  pre- 
pare strips  an  inch  wide  and  eight  inches  long.  With 
careful  instruction  of  over  and  under  motion,  talking 
about  the  dog  jumping  over  the  fence  and  then  crawling 
under  the  fence,  a  double  interest  will  be  aroused.  The 
next  strip  alternates:  this  time  the  dog  goes  under  the 
fence  and  then  jumps  over,  and  so  on  until  with  this 
sized  mat  you  have  used  eight  strips.  To  get  more  in- 
teresting results,  let  the  child  color  these  strips  with 
colored  pencils  or  crayons.  The  little  fingers  can  weave 
the  strips  in  and  out  as  they  are  of  good  size,  but  if  nar- 
rower paper  is  used,  a  large  tape  needle  will  have  to  be 
used.  There  is  a  steel  needle  made  expressly  for  this 
purpose  which  can  be  purchased  at  small  cost.  There 
is  a  spring  clip  at  the  end  of  the  needle  which  holds  the 
paper  strip  firmly.  Colored  paper  also  comes  prepared 
for  weaving,  but  of  smaller  size  and  better  adapted  for 
the  more  experienced  child.  The  blending  of  colors 
should  be  given  attention  when  colored  paper  is  used,  as 
artistic  choice  is  most  essential  in  child  training.  The 
variety  of  designs  is  innmnerable.  With  increasing  in- 
terest, the  child  will  soon  work  out  his  own  ideas.  Here 
he  is  creating  many  geometric  designs  and  beauty  forms. 
It  is  also  interesting  to  work  out  something  from  obser- 
vation, such  as  a  house,  tree,  or  a  basket. 

WEAVING   WITH   OTHER  MATERIALS 

With  these  fundamental  principles  learned,  and  which 
have  been  handed  dovvTi  to  us  from  prehistoric  ages,  the 
weaving  of  grass,  raffia,  worsted,  strips  of  rags,  string, 
or  rope  may  fill  many  hours  of  pleasure.   In  the  use  of 

SO 


□  ■  D  ■  D-^iSj 


n.n.n.F 


PAPER- WEAVING 


KINDERGARTEN  OCCUPATIONS 

other  materials  than  paper,  many  useful  aticles  can 
be  made.  A  loom,  which  takes  the  place  of  the  mat  in 
paper- weaving,  can  be  made  at  home  by  taking  an  empty 
wooden  box,  a  salt-box,  for  instance,  and  driving  nails 
halfway  in  on  the  ends.  The  nails  should  be  about  one 
quarter  of  an  inch  apart.  The  warp  is  wound  across  the 
box  and  around  the  nails,  back  and  forth.  The  warp 
may  be  of  the  same  material  as  the  woof,  that  which 
is  to  be  woven  in  and  out.  Rugs  and  carpets  for  doll- 
houses  are  great  fun  to  make,  and  here  again  choice  of 
color  and  design  should  be  given  attention.  Material 
called  cotton  roving,  which  comes  on  large  spools  in  a 
dozen  different  colors,  is  used  with  splendid  results  for 
rugs.  It  is  soft  and  pliable  and  easily  used  by  the  chil- 
dren. The  material  nearest  at  hand  is  narrow  strips  of 
rags  sewed  together.  Squares  of  raffia  woven  in  this 
fashion  make  nice  mats  upon  which  one  might  set  warm 
dishes,  and  squares  of  woven  worsted  can  be  faced  with 
canton  flannel  or  cambric  to  make  splendid  kitchen 
holders. 

doll's  hammock 

A  HEAVY  colored  twine  is  used  for  both  warp  and  woof 
in  making  a  doll's  hammock.  "WTien  winding  on  the 
warp,  carry  string  through  a  brass  ring  which  is  held  by 
a  tack  a  few  inches  from  the  nails  at  each  end.  Begin  the 
weaving  as  usual.  Take  a  long  piece  of  string  and  weave 
it  back  and  forth,  over  and  under.  When  it  is  necessary 
to  start  a  new  string,  join  the  ends  on  a  side.  If  a  fringe 
is  desired,  weave  across  each  time  with  a  separate  string, 
leaving  free  about  two  inches  in  length  on  each  side. 

21 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

When  taken  from  the  loom  these  ends  may  be  knotted, 
or  before  taken  from  the  loom  a  string  may  be  woven  in 
and  out  down  each  side  to  hold  the  woof  in  place. 

doll's  tam-o'-shanter 

Worsted  is  used  for  a  tam-o'-shanter.  To  make  the 
mat  or  loom  for  this,  draw  a  circle  any  size  you  wish  on 
a  piece  of  cardboard.  A  circle  with  a  six-inch  diameter 
makes  a  tam  for  a  small  doll.  In  distances  three  eighths 
of  an  inch  apart  on  the  circumference  draw  slanting 
lines  making  points.  Cut  out  around  these  points  and 
also  cut  a  quarter-inch  circle  out  of  the  center  of  the  mat. 
With  a  long  piece  of  worsted,  pass  through  the  center 
hole  and  wind  over  the  nicks,  into  the  center  and  out, 
and  so  on  around  the  circle.  Tie  the  two  ends.  You  will 
see  that  both  sides  of  the  mat  look  alike.  Weave  on  one 
side  only,  using  a  tape  needle  or  ordinary  weaving 
needle.  Begin  at  the  center,  going  under  and  over 
as  near  the  hole  as  possible.  Continue  weaving  until 
you  come  nearly  to  the  edge  of  the  mat.  ^Vhen  this  is 
done,  turn  over  the  mat  on  the  other  side  and  cut  the 
worsted  warp  about  halfway  between  the  circumference 
and  the  center.  Take  the  cap  off  the  loom  and  push  the 
worsted  which  is  near  the  center  through  the  hole  to  the 
other  side.  With  a  piece  of  worsted,  wind  tightly  and 
tie  these  ends  which  will  make  a  tassel.  Tie  the  ends 
of  the  outer  circle  rather  tightly  in  twos,  to  make  the 
tam  bend  under  a  little.  After  doing  this  all  the  way 
around  the  edge  of  the  cap,  tie  alternate  twos  in  the 
same  way  to  finish  firmly.  The  ends  may  now  be  cut 
off  and  the  tam  is  finished. 

22 


WEAVING 


KINDERGARTEN  OCCUPATIONS 

These  improvised  looms  and  mats  which  have  been 
described  may  be  supplemented  by  purchasing  well- 
made  looms  of  all  sizes  for  different  articles. 

TOY  KNITTER 

The  tubular  reins  are  familiar  playthings  to  all  children 
and  it  is  fun  to  make  them  too.  A  toy  knitter  can  be 
purchased  at  small  expense,  but  one  can  be  improvised 
with  an  empty  spool.  Take  four  double-pointed  steel 
tacks,  drive  them  halfway  into  one  side  of  the  spool 
and  at  even  distances  apart.  Make  a  ball  of  worsted 
from  pieces  of  yarn  tied  together.  Let  the  end  of  the 
worsted  drop  through  the  center  of  the  spool.  Now 
carry  the  worsted  around  the  four  nails.  As  you  go 
around  the  second  time,  use  a  wire  hairpin  to  lift  the 
first  piece  of  worsted  over  the  second  piece  and  slip  it 
over  the  double-headed  nail.  After  the  first  row  is  ad- 
justed, it  is  very  easy  to  continue  on  and  on,  round  and 
round,  going  through  the  same  process  of  carrying  the 
old  thread  over  the  new.  As  the  spool  seems  to  fill  up 
with  the  work,  take  the  end  of  worsted,  which  was  at 
the  beginning  put  through  the  spool,  and  pull  the  fin- 
ished reins  down  through  the  center  hole  of  the  spool. 

KNITTING 

Through  the  stress  of  war,  knitting  for  the  comfort  of 
our  soldiers  became  a  part  of  daily  occupation  from  the 
smallest  tots  of  boys  and  girls  to  the  dear  grandmas. 
For  the  youngest  knitters  an  af  ghan  composed  of  knitted 
squares  sewed  together  became  their  work.  This  ac- 
complishment should  still  be  carried  on,  not  only  be- 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

cause  of  the  ability  to  knit,  but  because  a  child  feels  the 
experience  of  joining  with  others  to  make  something 
worth  while.  To  teach  the  stitch  to  the  little  one  just 
learning,  use  wooden  meat  skewers,  for  they  make 
splendid  needles  and  are  not  long  and  clumsy.  Use  a 
little  sandpaper  on  them  to  smooth  them  down. 

CARD-WINDING 

A  SIMPLE  form  of  amusement  and  yet  of  much  value  is 
called  card-winding.  The  material  to  use  consists  only  of 
a  piece  of  cardboard  six  inches  by  three  inches,  and  a  yard 
of  colored  worsted.  At  intervals  across  the  card,  using 
a  ruler  to  make  more  accurate  results,  cut  down  slits, 
top  and  bottom.  With  the  left  hand,  hold  card  and  one 
end  of  the  worsted.  With  the  right  hand,  wind  the 
worsted  in  and  out  of  the  slits  you  have  already  cut.  The 
child  for  some  time  is  content  with  the  straight  hues 
he  is  making  with  the  pretty  worsted.  Vary  the  slits 
in  length  alternately  or  graduate  them  Make  several 
cards,  using  different  colors  of  worsted.  You  will  see 
there  is  an  opportunity  to  teach  arithmetic  as  the  child 
counts  how  many  short  lines  or  long  lines  he  has  made. 
From  the  simple  line  formation,  many  designs  can  be 
formed  by  crossing  lines  diagonally  or  horizontally. 
The  illustrations  suggest  several  designs  that  the  reader 
may  work  out  with  the  children. 

SEWING 
CARD-SEWING 

Closely  allied  with  weaving  and  winding  comes  sewing. 
When  a  child  sees  a  needle  and  thread  in  the  hands  of  her 

24 


CARD-WINDING  WITH  WORSTED 


KINDERGARTEN  OCCUPATIONS 

mother  she  naturally  wishes  to  imitate  what  she  is  doing. 
One  of  the  simplest  devices  in  this  form  of  hand- work  is 
the  sewing  of  pictures  outlined  on  cardboard  by  means 
of  holes  or  perforations.  Prepared  cards  are  easily  ob- 
tained which  are  perforated  alike  in  squares  of  quarter 
or  half  inches  over  the  entire  surface,  or  with  a  few  lines 
or  circles.  These  should  be  used  first  so  that  a  child  may 
become  accustomed  to  sewing.  The  circle  may  be  colored 
inside  the  sewing  and  he  will  call  it  the  picture  of  a  ball. 
Tie  a  piece  of  bright  worsted  to  a  large  blunt  worsted 
needle  for  this  work.  By  tying  the  thread  in  the  needle 
the  possibilities  of  its  being  unthreaded  are  avoided  and 
much  time  is  saved.  To  create  interest,  see  that  the  child 
sews  down  one  hole,  up  another,  and  so  on,  saying,  "We 
will  leave  the  gates  open  first  and  then  go  around  the 
next  time  to  close  them."  The  card  should  be  sewed 
without  turning  it  over,  as  this  way  saves  confusion 
and  is  much  easier. 

The  plain  square  or  oblong  perforated  card  will  soon 
suggest  all  kinds  of  original  ideas.  The  first  work  may 
be  in  vertical,  horizontal,  or  slanting  lines,  lines  in  dif- 
ferent lengths  or  grouped  together.  Suggest  dividing  the 
square  card  into  four  parts  and  make  the  same  design 
in  each  of  the  corners.  Compare  these  designs  with 
those  of  oilcloth,  carpets,  rugs,  and  wall-paper.  Work 
out  geometric,  flower,  and  border  designs. 

Cards  can  be  purchased  with  object  designs  and  pic- 
tures to  be  outlined  with  this  sewing,  but  it  is  possible 
and  easy  to  make  the  cards  at  home.  Trace  the  shape 
of  a  fruit,  an  article  like  a  hammer  or  milk  bottle,  then 
go  around  the  edge  of  the  drawing  pricking  holes  about 

25 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

a  half-inch  apart.  A  picture  can  be  pasted  on  a  card 
and  either  the  exact  outline  can  be  sewed  or  the  picture 
can  be  bordered  by  a  square  or  circle  done  in  a  sewing 
design. 

An  instrument  called  a  "punch"  or  a  sewing-card 
perforator  can  be  purchased,  which  makes  the  neatest 
holes.  Both  boys  and  girls  enjoy  this  work  and  the  little 
fingers  become  more  nimble  for  greater  tasks. 

SEWING  WITH  CLOTH 

A  PIECE  of  cloth  is  the  next  natural  desire,  especially  for 
a  little  girl.  If  there  is  a  dress  being  made  in  the  house, 
of  checked  material,  preferably  of  gingham,  give  the 
child  a  piece  with  a  needle  full  of  coarse  thread  or  silka- 
teen.  Over  the  dark  squares  of  the  cloth,  show  her  how 
to  make  the  cross-stitch.  Pretty  designs  can  be  worked 
out  to  trim  the  dress  or  apron.  To  transfer  a  design  or 
pattern  on  woolen  or  linen,  baste  a  piece  of  cross-barred 
canvas  where  you  wish  to  work.  Count  out  squares  and 
cross-stitch  the  pattern  right  on.  When  completed,  the 
threads  of  canvas  can  be  pulled  out  one  by  one,  leaving 
the  cross-stitch  work  on  the  dress  or  towels.  Books  of 
cross-stitch  design  can  be  bought  in  the  embroidery  de- 
partments of  stores.  Many  magazines  give  illustrations 
also. 

Understanding  this  work,  children  see  possibilities 
for  making  Christmas  presents.  Work  a  cross-stitch  de- 
sign on  a  piece  of  canvas  five  inches  square.  To  make  a 
background,  fill  in  all  the  empty  squares  around  the  de- 
sign with  one  color.  Sew  a  square  of  cambric  on  the  back 
of  this  work  and  you  have  made  a  pretty  and  useful 


CARD-SEWING 


KINDERGARTEN  OCCUPATIONS 

holder.  Interest  in  sewing  increases  at  this  point  and 
the  Httle  girl  decides  that  dolly  must  have  some  new 
dresses.  Let  her  have  a  box  of  left  over  pieces  that  she 
may  do  her  own  choosing.  At  first  the  work  is  crude, 
stitches  are  large,  the  scissors  have  made  mistakes,  but 
it  is  a  wonderful  accomplishment  in  the  child's  eyes. 

USE  OF  SCISSORS 

Was  there  ever  a  brighter  object  in  Mother's  work- 
basket  than  her  shining  pair  of  scissors.'^  It  seems  to  be 
the  one  object  a  baby  reaches  for  and  the  first  thing  he 
is  taught  not  to  touch.  It  is  not  many  years,  however, 
before  that  much-sought-for  treasure  can  be  acquired 
and  used  dexterously.  By  the  time  the  child  is  three 
years  old,  a  small  pair  of  blunt  scissors  may  be  called 
his  own,  and  careful  instruction  as  to  their  use  brings 
hours  of  pleasure.  The  right  use  of  scissors  taught  in 
earliest  years  is  the  best  means  to  prevent  improper 
use  of  them.  The  child  who  has  learned  to  create  some- 
thing pretty,  and  something  to  play  with,  is  too  busy 
to  hunt  around  for  something  to  cut  which  may  cause 
calamities  and  destruction. 

Scissors  should  be  put  into  the  child's  thumb  and 
fingers  correctly,  and  the  exercise  of  "open  and  shut" 
practiced  over  and  over  again  until  he  shows  a  free  use 
of  them.  Then  give  him  a  piece  of  brown  wrapping- 
paper,  letting  him  cut  and  snip  to  his  heart's  content; 
of  course  watching  him  so  that  no  harm  is  done  while 
he  learns  the  art  of  making  scissors  cut.  The  apparent 
waste  of  cutting  paper  can  be  used  to  kindle  the  fire  or 
t30  pack  around  an  article  which  is  to  be  sent  by  parcel 

27 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

post.  Soon  the  desire  to  create  something  comes.  Give 
him  a  piece  of  paper  two  inches  wide  and  six  inches  long. 
Show  him  how  to  cut  off  a  strip  the  narrow  way  and 
about  half  an  inch  wide.  Place  it  on  the  table  and  call 
it  a  soldier.  Cut  more,  arranging  in  column  fashion  and 
suggesting  that  they  be  cut  as  straight  as  soldiers  stand. 
Again  take  the  same  sized  paper,  ruling  with  pencil  the 
lines  a  haK-inch  apart.  By  following  the  line  accuracy 
in  direction  is  developed.  With  a  piece  of  paper,  fringe 
each  end  in  the  same  manner,  but  with  finer  lines ;  thus 
a  towel  is  created.  Fringing  around  a  circle  gives  you  a 
doily. 

Kraus  folding.  Take  a  four-inch  square  of  paper,  and 
as  before  directed  fold  to  get  the  vertical  and  horizontal 
diameters.  These  creases  make  four  smaller  squares. 
Open  the  paper  flat  again  and  cut  on  the  folds.  With 
these  squares  the  Greek  cross  and  hollow  square  can  be 
formed.  Each  square  may  have  one  corner  folded  over 
to  the  center  and  arranged  in  design.  Then  turn  two 
corners,  three  corners,  and  all  four  corners  to  make 
variety.  Some  squares  can  be  folded  diagonally  and 
cut  to  make  triangles.  Let  the  child,  with  these  pieces 
of  paper,  work  out  ideas  of  his  own  in  design.  Thus, 
folding  and  cutting  combined,  brings  into  action  more 
suggestion  and  more  development.  All  of  this  work  he 
can  easily  do  by  himself  if  at  first  properly  directed.  With 
the  use  of  the  scissors  comes  a  broader  field  of  creative 
power.  Through  the  child's  mind  passes  many  fanciful 
pictures ;  it  may  be  a  story  told  him,  a  poem,  or  a  song 
which  he  likes  to  sing.  Why  not  make  a  picture  to  il- 
lustrate and  make  real  these  thoughts  .f*    Paper  in  aU 

28 


KRAUS  FOLDING 


KINDERGARTEN  OCCUPATIONS 

colors,  tints,  and  shades  can  be  purchased  in  small  or 
large  quantities.  Packages  large  or  small  with  varied 
colors  give  you  the  assortment  from  which  to  choose 
combinations  for  picture  work.  This  field  is  so  great 
that  it  is  possible  to  illustrate  only  a  few  suggestions  to 
the  reader.  The  child  is  able  to  cut  much  of  this  work 
himself,  but  is  often  delighted  to  have  the  mature  hand 
assist,  that  he  may  imitate  and  learn.  Many  pictures 
combine  tearing  and  cutting,  such  as  the  snow  scenes 
with  the  torn  horizon  line. 

In  the  illustrations  are  examples  of  simple  pictures 
which  the  five-year-old  child  is  capable  of  working  out. 
The  little  girl  with  her  sled  is  walking  up  a  hill  of  snow 
which  is  a  torn  piece  of  white  paper  pasted  upon  a  gray 
mounting.  She  is  cut  out  of  black  paper  and  the  sled  of 
red  gives  the  touch  of  color. 

The  picture  with  the  boy  and  the  big  snowball  has 
simple  lines  to  follow.  Tear  the  snow  background  first, 
next  cut  out  a  big  white  snowball,  and  then  paste  on 
the  boy. 

The  making  of  maple  sugar  is  an  interesting  subject 
to  discuss  with  the  child,  and  the  picture  suggested  here 
makes  the  story  realistic  to  one  who  has  not  seen  the 
actual  process.  First  an  irregular  piece  of  white  torn 
paper  is  pasted  on  a  gray  card.  The  house  is  cut  out  of 
black  paper  and  pasted  on  at  the  left.  The  boy  is  placed 
in  the  foreground  as  if  coming  from  the  house  to  the 
trees.  The  trees  are  just  irregular  strips  of  paper  pasted 
in  a  row  at  the  right  of  the  picture.  The  sap  pails  could 
be  cut  out  of  paper,  but  in  this  instance  are  sketched  in 
with  a  pencil. 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

Pasting  a  yellow  moon  behind  a  tree  gives  another  in- 
teresting touch  of  life  as  is  shown  in  the  two  pictures.  As 
the  moon  shines  across  snow  or  water,  a  few  lines  with 
yellow  crayon  show  the  reflection  which  it  makes  in  the 
form  of  a  path. 

After  one  has  read  to  the  boy  the  great  hero  tales  of 
the  strong,  brave  knights  of  old  and  their  castle  homes, 
the  stories  become  more  vivid  as  he  creates  pictures. 
The  silhouette  of  the  knight  riding  over  the  snow  to  the 
castle  is  simple  for  him  to  make.  Perhaps  he  will  have 
suggestions  and  additions  to  make. 

The  night  scene  may  be  developed  in  many  ways. 
Here  is  its  row  of  varied  heights  of  buildings  cut  from 
black  paper,  pasted  upon  a  dark  blue  background.  On 
this  evening  sky  are  the  moon  and  stars.  Sometimes 
windows  are  cut  out  of  buildings  and  a  line  of  yellow 
paper  is  pasted  behind.  This  gives  the  effect  of  light  in 
the  windows. 

If  one  cannot  draw  figures  free  hand,  there  are  books 
and  magazines  to  turn  to  for  aid.  Trace  on  thin  paper  the 
object  desired,  and  while  cutting  it  out,  hold  the  colored 
paper  underneath  the  traced  figure,  thus  cutting  both 
out  at  the  same  time.  As  experience  with  success  en- 
courages this  form  of  occupation,  more  difficult  pictures 
will  be  tried.  The  flower,  a  blue  gentian,  is  made  with 
two  shades  of  blue  paper.  The  heavy  shadows  of  dark 
blue  are  cut  in  such  a  shape  as  to  bring  out  the  right 
contour  of  the  petals.  It  takes  careful  finger  manipula- 
tion to  cut  the  fine  orange  strips  that  suggest  a  simset. 
Always  draw  outline  of  figures  on  the  wTong  side  of  the 
paper  so  that  no  pencil  marks  wiU  show  on  the  right  side. 

30 


4 


53 


CUTTING  AND  TEARING 


KINDERGARTEN  OCCUPATIONS 

Animals,  fruits,  and  flowers  mean  much  in  the  child's 
world,  so  let  him  reproduce  them  on  paper.  The  evolu- 
tion from  a  large  red  circle  to  an  apple,  or  from  a  white 
circle  to  a  daisy,  shows  the  results  that  can  be  achieved 
by  any  one  who  tries. 


Ill 

THE  LITTLE  ARTIST 
CRAYONING 

THE  use  of  the  pencil  is  always  entertaining  to 
children  and  the  colored  pencil  or  crayons  are  still 
more  fascinating.  Crayoning  is  the  earliest  form  of  art 
which  comes  to  a  child.  As  this  material  is  so  easily 
handled  and  not  difficult  to  obtain,  no  child  should  be 
denied  this  form  of  entertainment.  A  box  of  crayons 
comprising  the  standard  colors  can  be  purchased  in 
almost  any  store  for  ten  cents  and  upwards.  The  best 
results  follow  using  paper  with  a  slightly  rough  sur- 
face. Crayons  do  not  adhere  to  smooth  paper  so  well. 
Give  the  young  child  one  color  at  a  time,  as  the  be- 
wilderment of  many  colors  inhibits  definite  results. 

SPOT  WORK 

The  first  response  from  a  child  will  be  that  of  scribbling, 
but  soon  it  will  take  a  suggestive  shape  and  the  child's 
imagination  will  begin  to  work.  There  are  two  forms  of 
movement  which  will  naturally  appear.  The  first  is  a 
round  and  round  motion,  which  we  call  "  spot  work." 
There  is  a  broad  field  of  suggestiveness  here.  Call  the 
spot  a  ball,  a  marble,  balloon,  or  soap  bubble.  A  large 
brown  spot  with  three  small  blue  spots  in  the  center 
gives  us  a  bird's  nest.  From  a  group  of  three  red  spots 
draw  some  brown  stems  having  them  come  together 
with  a  spot  of  green.  Here  we  have  made  a  bunch  of 

32 


THE  LITTLE  ARTIST 

cherries.  A  larger  red  spot  with  a  brown,  short  stem  is 
an  apple;  with  a  green  stem,  it  can  be  a  tomato.  With 
the  orange  spot  we  think  of  the  fruit,  or  with  a  green 
stem  and  a  few  grooved  lines  there  is  the  pmnpkin.  The 
fruit  and  vegetable  kingdom  offers  many  suggestions  as 
well  as  the  flowers.  The  pussy  willow  brings  the  first 
thought  of  spring.  Use  a  dark  piece  of  paper,  on  which 
draw  a  brown  line  for  the  stem.  On  either  side  of  the 
stem,  at  alternate  points,  put  white  spots,  using  black- 
board chalk.  A  touch  of  brown  under  each  spot  gives 
the  effect  of  the  downy  pussy  coming  out  of  its  winter 
sheath. 

Children  venture  into  the  animal  world  too.  These 
spots  soon  are  given  names,  such  as  cats,  dogs,  sheep, 
horses.  Ears,  legs,  and  tails  are  added  according  to 
their  observation  of  the  object.  The  bunny  has  his  long 
ears  without  a  tail,  while  the  chicken,  duck,  and  birds 
must  have  their  bills.  No  matter  how  crude  may  be  the 
spot  representing  a  body,  another  spot  or  circle  or 
smaller  dimension  is  put  on  top  for  the  head.  Arms  and 
legs  are  represented  by  lines,  and  the  little  one  is  quite 
satisfied  with  the  man  drawn.  Encourage  this  play; 
it  will  develop  to  better  work  ere  long.  The  child's 
memory  and  imagination  will  begin  to  work  as  he  illus- 
trates in  this  form  of  drawing  stories  he  has  been  told 
or  experiences  in  his  own  life.  He  will  always  see  the 
smoke  coming  out  of  an  engine.  He  will  not  only  draw 
a  house,  but  through  the  house  see  the  chairs,  and  they 
must  be  drawn  on  the  outside  of  the  house  because  in 
his  mind  he  sees  them  vividly.  As  a  child  naturally 
grabs  a  crayon  and  bears  on  the  paper  heavily,  it  is 

33 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

suggested  that  at  the  beginning  a  little  instruction 
should  be  given  as  to  the  holding  of  the  pencil,  and  free- 
dom of  wrist  and  arm  movement.  Give  him  objects 
to  look  at  when  possible  that  a  true  perception  may  be 
formed  of  the  shapes. 

Designs  are  easily  created  from  spots.  Suggest  to  the 
child  that  spots  large  and  small  be  placed  alternately 
in  a  row.  In  similar  manner  make  other  arrangements 
of  spots  combining  two  colors.  Let  the  child  originate 
groupings  and  shapes  of  spots  representing  borders.  Let 
the  child  make  his  book  fold  and  with  his  own  ideas  of 
spots  and  lines,  he  will  be  delighted  that  he  has  designed 
a  book  cover.  The  tulip  is  as  simple  a  flower  as  any  which 
can  be  developed  into  a  conventional  spot  design.  Gifts 
for  Christmas,  such  as  calendars  and  blotters,  give  an 
opportunity  for  decorations  of  this  kind.  The  holly 
berry  is  the  small  red  spot  and  an  irregular  larger  spot 
of  green,  the  leaf.  With  a  little  help  from  Mother,  the 
child  is  encouraged  to  create. 

BACK  AND  FORTH  RUBBING 

The  second  form  of  movement  which  naturally  appears 
with  the  child  is  what  is  spoken  of  as  back  and  forth 
rubbing  in  horizontal  Hues.  This  should  be  developed 
so  that  eventually  an  even  coloring  of  a  piece  of  paper 
can  be  done  with  one  color.  A  blue  paper  suggests 
a  sky,  a  green  paper  may  be  the  grass,  and  by  using 
brown  it  may  represent  the  ground  or  a  rug  for  the  doll- 
house.  There  are  many  things  that  can  be  done  with 
a  plain  piece  of  crayoned  paper.  It  can  be  folded  for 
the  book  cover,  or  it  can  be  made  into  a  box  which,  by 

34 


IE--:.. 


FIRST  STEPS  WITH  CRAYONS 


THE  LITTLE  ARTIST 

putting  a  handle  on  it,  makes  a  basket  for  May  Day. 
Cardboard  patterns  of  fruit  or  animals  may  be  placed 
on  this  crayoned  paper.  Draw  around,  making  an  out- 
hne  which  is  cut  out  afterward.  The  heart  shape  would 
suggest  material  for  Valentine's  Day.  Leaves  of  differ- 
ent trees  should  be  gathered  and  outlined  in  the  same 
manner.  Autumn  coloring  can  be  introduced  to  make 
a  variety.  This  is  also  a  means  of  studying  trees  and 
pointing  out  their  differences.  In  the  center  of  a  piece  of 
cardboard,  cut  out  any  desired  shape.  Put  this  upon  a 
piece  of  white  paper  and  let  the  child  rub  in  the  design. 
This  is  called  stenciling,  and  is  very  simple  and  inter- 
esting work  to  do.  Do  not  forget  to  save  old  magazines 
and  picture  books,  because  every  child  takes  pleasure 
in  illuminating  or  coloring  the  pictures.  This  is  a  splen- 
did occupation  on  the  train,  so  when  starting  on  a 
journey  put  a  box  of  crayons  in  your  travehng-bag. 

LANDSCAPE 

From  this  rubbing  movement  we  come  to  a  second  step, 
that  of  working  out  landscapes.  From  the  top  of  the 
paper,  working  toward  the  center,  use  a  blue  crayon, 
rubbing  smoothly  with  long  free-arm  movement,  back 
and  forth.  Beginning  at  the  lower  edge  of  the  paper,  in 
like  manner  rub  in  green.  As  you  come  up  to  the  blue 
crayoning,  bear  on  a  little  heavier,  making  a  horizon 
line  of  irregular  rubbing.  This  gives  the  effect  of  trees 
and  shrubbery  in  the  distance.  As  this  work  is  so  free 
hand,  no  two  pictures  will  be  alike,  which  makes  the 
occupation  very  interesting  to  all  ages.  A  few  strokes 
of  brown  here  and  there  throughout  the  horizon  suggest 

35 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

shadow  and  trunks  of  trees.  In  another  picture,  try- 
making  the  outhne  of  a  house  in  the  distance.  With 
gentle  rubbing  of  black,  let  some  smoke  come  from  the 
chimney.  Use  a  little  brown,  yellow,  orange,  with  green 
in  the  foreground.  Also  from  the  horizon  upwards 
throughout  the  blue  sky,  blend  in  soft  colors  seen  in 
the  sunsets.  These  touches  bring  warmth  and  life  to 
the  simple  picture.  As  the  use  of  the  crayons  in  blend- 
ing of  colors  and  free  rubbing  becomes  easier  to  the 
little  artist,  more  elaborate  pictures  can  be  undertaken, 
such  as  are  suggested  in  the  illustrations.  A  snow  scene 
is  easily  worked  out  on  dark  paper,  using  white  chalk  to 
represent  snow.  Also  a  representation  of  night  is  pic- 
tured here  with  the  yellow  moon  rising  behind  build- 
ings, casting  pale  yellow  rays  across  the  country.  Do  not 
forget  the  heavy  shadows  which  it  causes  beside  the 
buildings,  and  in  front  of  the  trees  which  reflect  in  wa- 
ter. Children  delight  in  illustrations  of  water,  seashore, 
rocks,  lighthouses.  Always  put  a  few  strokes  of  dark 
on  the  horizon  to  represent  a  boat,  and  do  not  forget 
the  smoke  coming  out  of  the  smokestacks.  Rocks  should 
have  jagged  points  with  heavy  shadows,  and  from  the 
lighthouse  yellow  rays  should  be  streaming  from  its 
windows  in  different  directions,  representing  its  lights 
along  the  coast.  A  seagull  flies  overhead.  Starting  from 
a  given  point  and  drawing  lines  which  curve  upward  in 
opposite  directions  will  give  you  a  picture  of  a  bird  on 
the  wing.  Several  drawn  near  together  give  the  effect  of 
a  flock  of  birds.  After  a  little  practice,  a  child  can  in- 
troduce birds  into  his  picture  very  nicely. 

In  a  distant  meadow  you  may  see  a  field  of  butter- 
36 


WHERE  GO  THE  BOATs"    (SteVCtlSOll) 


BY  THE  SEA 
ILLUSTRATING  WITH  CRAYONS 


THE  LITTLE  ARTIST 

cups  and  daisies.  These  can  be  represented  by  a  mass 
of  yellow  rubbed  on  irregularly,  leaving  white  spaces 
here  and  there  to  represent  daisies.  Never  attempt  too 
much  detail  in  free-hand  work.  A  touch  of  purple  at  a 
horizon  gives  the  effect  of  still  more  distance.  Remem- 
ber, all  this  work  is  done  in  free-hand  rubbing  either 
with  short  or  long  strokes. 

If  it  is  difficult  to  sketch  from  nature,  copying  is  the 
alternative.  Most  exquisite  suggestions  of  landscape 
can  be  found  on  Christmas,  Easter,  and  Birthday  cards. 
These  are  tiny,  but  copies  of  them  will  make  pretty 
decorations  for  calendars,  dinner  cards,  and  souvenirs. 
Choose  a  simple  picture  which  your  little  daughter  can 
copy,  and  she  will  be  delighted  that  she  has  shared  in  the 
preparation  of  her  Birthday  Party.  Above  all,  never 
forget  to  call  children's  attention  to  coloring  in  nature, 
sunsets,  and  birds  and  flowers. 

CHALK 

If  a  child  is  fortunate  enough  to  have  a  blackboard  in 
his  play-room,  chalk  may  be  used  in  the  same  ways 
as  suggested  above  for  crayons.  The  standard  colors  in 
chalk  can  be  purchased  at  school  supply  stores.  There 
is  dust  to  chalk  work  as  well  as  soiling  of  clothes  and 
hands,  so  prepare  the  room  and  child's  attire  for  such 
play.  More  elaborate  blackboard  illustration  work  re- 
quires skill,  practice,  and  mature  fingers.  Children  de- 
light in  watching  a  picture  grow  from  the  hands  of 
mother  or  teacher,  and  one  who  is  at  all  gifted  should 
develop  his  talent.  There  are  a  few  books  published  on 
Blackboard  Sketching,  which  would  be  of  assistance  to 

37 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

the  reader.  The  simplest  and  most  direct  instruction 
may  be  found  in  '*  Blackboard  Sketching,"  by  Frederick 
Whitney. 

WATER-COLORS 

As  the  child  becomes  acquainted  with  his  crayons  and 
has  learned  to  appreciate  the  pleasures  of  drawing,  the 
next  step  is  to  help  him  enjoy  the  paint-brush.  It  is  said 
that  children  with  poor  motor  control  can  get  results 
more  easily  with  the  brush  than  with  crayons.  However 
that  may  be,  crayoning  and  painting  go  side  by  side 
in  developing  the  child's  sense  of  the  beautiful  as  well 
as  perfecting  skill  with  the  hands.  Children  are  fond 
of  color,  and  psychologists  say  that  the  development  of 
character  has  been  effected  through  the  careful  study 
of  bright  colors. 

Little  folks  should  know  the  primary  colors,  red,  yel- 
low, and  blue.  The  blending  of  these  colors  has  pro- 
duced the  secondary  colors.  Here,  then,  one  must  begin 
the  discussion  of  the  rainbow  in  all  its  beauty.  Let  him 
find  the  six  predominating  colors,  red,  orange,  yellow, 
green,  blue,  and  purple.  Now  he  is  anxious  to  try  his 
ability;  but  he  must  first  learn  to  use  his  brush  and  take 
one  color  at  a  time. 

MATERIALS 

Water-colors  come  in  several  forms.  The  paint-box 
is  the  most  common  way  of  buying  them.  These  come 
in  many  sizes  with  different  qualities  of  paints  and 
brushes.  The  box  which  contains  the  six  standard 
colors  with  sepia  and  black  added,  is  sufficient  for  any 


i^^»MJM:4kM^^«Mtf^ 


I 


k' 


FIRST  STEPS  IN  WATER-COLORS 


THE  LITTLE  ARTIST 

one  to  use.  Paint  also  comes  in  tubes.  If  using  this  kind, 
take  out  just  enough  for  present  use,  mixing  it  with 
water  according  to  strength  of  color  needed.  This  is  a 
good  quality  of  paint  and  is  guaranteed  not  to  harden. 
There  is  a  liquid  paint  which  comes  in  glass  jars  which 
also  should  be  diluted  with  water.  Paper  for  painting 
should  have  a  slightly  rough  surface. 

The  best  brush  for  a  child  to  begin  with  is  a  Japanese 
school  brush.  It  is  of  fairly  good  size,  holds  the  paint, 
makes  a  good  point,  and  is  splendid  for  the  large,  simple 
washes.  A  smaller  camel's-hair  brush  is  used  when 
lines  and  finer  detailed  work  are  desired. 

All  these  materials  can  be  found  in  art  stores,  chil- 
dren's department  of  general  stores,  and  school  supply 
stores. 

WASHES 

The  first  result  to  be  obtained  is  an  ability  to  make  a 
good  even  wash  of  color.  Fill  the  brush  with  paint,  hold 
it  lightly,  and  make  a  free  stroke  across  the  paper  from 
left  to  right  with  one  wash.  Raise  the  brush  from  the 
paper,  beginning  again  at  the  left  side,  and  pass  freely 
and  quickly  across  to  the  right.  Overlap  slightly  the 
first  stroke,  thus  avoiding  hard  lines.  Continue  this 
process  until  the  paper  is  entirely  covered.  Never  go 
back  to  fill  in  or  go  over  the  surface  a  second  time  while 
it  is  wet,  as  it  would  cause  streaks  and  blotches.  Avoid 
the  scrubbing  motion  at  this  time.  With  perseverance 
the  child  is  able  to  improve,  getting  splendid  results. 
When  the  paper  is  dry,  take  cardboard  patterns,  draw 
outlines  of  fruits  or  animals  on  the  painted  paper  in 

S9 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

the  same  manner  as  was  described  when  using  crayons. 
Cut  these  out  and  paste  them  on  mounting  or  construc- 
tion paper. 

Another  way  of  using  the  one-wash  paper  would  be 
to  consider  it  as  representing  the  sky.  Cut  a  yellow 
circle  from  another  piece  of  paper.  Paste  this  on  the 
sky  to  illustrate  either  the  sun  or  the  moon. 

With  this  first  experience  of  painting  with  one  color 
the  child  will  want  to  color  articles  he  has  made,  such  as 
boxes  and  toys.  He  will  want  to  color  pictures  in  books 
and  magazines.  Painting-books  for  just  this  purpose 
have  been  published  in  large  numbers  and  afford  amuse- 
ment by  the  hour  for  the  little  ones. 

One  of  the  most  successful  ways  of  procuring  an  even, 
one-color  wash  is  first  to  wet  the  entire  paper  with 
clear  water.  Now  pass  the  color  over  the  paper  in  the 
same  manner  as  before  described. 

LANDSCAPES 

To  get  a  landscape  with  one  color,  wet  the  paper  and 
then  at  different  places  drop  on  the  color  to  be  used. 
Let  the  color  flow  by  tipping  the  paper  this  way  and  that, 
sometimes  directing  it  to  procure  a  horizontal  line.  Re- 
markable clouds  can  be  made  in  this  way.  Very  beauti- 
ful landscapes  have  been  created  just  by  this  chance 
floating  of  paint.   Sepia  is  suggested  for  this  work. 

Results  with  two  colors  give  the  first  idea  of  landscape 
true  to  nature.  Wash  haKway  down  the  paper  with 
blue;  then  wash  from  lower  edge  up  toward  the  center 
with  green.  When  the  blue  is  nearly  dry,  take  a  brush 
full  of  stronger  green  and  pass  through  the  horizon, 

40 


NIGHT  SCENES  IN  WATER-COLORS 


THE  LITTLE  ARTIST 

letting  the  green  blend  into  the  blue  irregularly.  This 
will  produce  the  effect  of  trees  against  the  sky-line.  In 
the  illustration  three  washes  were  used.  The  yellow 
wash  in  the  foreground  represents  sand.  In  going  from 
one  color  to  another,  the  brush  must  be  cleaned;  other- 
wise the  painting  will  have  a  muddy  appearance.  When 
letting  one  or  more  colors  flow  through  water,  be  sure 
that  the  surface  of  the  paper  is  clean  before  putting 
on  colors.  When  water  is  put  on  the  surface  at  first,  let 
the  paper  dry  a  little  before  applying  colors;  then  the 
paints  will  not  run  too  much. 

To  make  a  night  scene,  as  is  illustrated  in  the  "Three 
Wise  Men,"  make  a  good  wash  of  blue  sky  and  brown 
earth.  Just  a  bit  of  green  is  suggested  through  the 
brown.  When  nearly  dry,  put  a  wash  of  black  over  the 
entire  paper.  Let  this  dry  and,  with  clean  brush  of 
black,  accentuate  the  horizon,  thus  suggesting  the 
"little  town  of  Bethlehem"  in  the  distance.  Three  tiny 
touches  of  black  paint  make  the  camels.  The  star  is 
scratched  in  afterwards.  A  gold  star  could  be  pasted  on 
by  the  child  more  easily. 

In  the  moonlight  scene  the  moon  is  painted  with  its 
yellow  rays  first,  and  the  sky  is  worked  in  around  it 
as  was  described  in  the  former  picture.  When  the  sky 
is  dry,  the  city  buildings  are  outlined  and  painted  in 
with  black. 

Beautiful  effects  with  blending  of  two  colors  can  be 
worked  out  if  a  clean  brush  is  used  when  a  new  color  is 
washed  directly  over  another  color  which  is  slightly 
dry.  Suggestive  colors  to  try  would  be  blue  over  red,  red 
over  yellow,  yellow  over  blue. 

41 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

FLOATING  COLORS 

The  fascinating  stained  glass  found  in  church  windows 
can  be  produced  with  paints  by  the  process  of  floating 
colors.  Have  the  paper  wet.  With  a  clean,  full  brush 
each  time  splash  or  drop  several  colors  here  and  there 
on  the  paper.  Move  the  paper  about,  letting  the  colors 
float  into  each  other  just  enough  to  blend  and  mix  with- 
out becoming  muddy.  Set  this  aside  to  dry  and,  in  the 
meantime,  take  silhouette  or  black  paper  to  make  a 
church  window.  With  ruler  and  pencil  design  on  the 
wrong  side  of  the  paper  the  shape  of  windows  which 
the  child  has  seen  in  his  own  church.  In  the  illustration 
is  seen  a  group  of  three  windows.  When  this  is  cut  out 
paste  it  on  to  the  painted  paper  and  then  cut  around 
the  window.  Mount  this  on  a  heavy  light-colored  card. 
Children  are  delighted  with  the  pretty  colors,  as  they 
never  float  twice  alike,  always  changing  until  the  paper 
dries.  Many  other  things  may  be  cut  from  paper  with 
the  floating  colors.  The  illustration  shows  a  row  of  Jap- 
anese lanterns  pasted  on  a  heavier  paper.  With  black 
paint  brush  in  posts.  Paint  a  black  string  across  from 
post  to  post  and  a  black  string  down  from  this  to  meet 
each  lantern.  Larger  lanterns  may  be  cut  and  folded  for 
decorations.  Candy  boxes,  too,  can  be  folded  from  this 
paper  and  are  very  attractive. 

SPOTTING 

There  are  three  ways  of  getting  spot  effects  with  paint- 
ing. First,  rub  the  brush  round  and  round,  making  large 
spots  suggestive  of  fruits  and  vegetables.  Simply  press- 
ing the  brush  down  once  gives  another  effect  which  may 

42 


EXAMPLES  OF  FLOATING  COLORS 


THE  LITTLE  ARTIST 

be  applied  to  petals  of  flowers  like  the  daisy  or  small 
leaves.  The  third  type  of  dots  are  still  smaller  and  are 
made  with  the  point  of  a  brush. 

Usually  from  a  child's  point  of  view  the  large  spots 
represent  shapes,  while  the  brush  full  of  paint  pressed 
down  makes  the  leaves. 

From  the  spots,  designing  in  conventional  patterns 
can  be  developed.  Ask  for  a  row  of  spots,  spots  of  differ- 
ent sizes,  and  spots  connected  with  lines.  The  illus- 
tration here  of  the  flower  pot  shows  the  conventional 
spotting  while  the  wall-paper  combines  conventionality 
with  the  flowers.  An  especially  clever  child  can,  in  this 
manner,  design  the  wall-paper  in  the  rooms  of  her  own 
little  doll-house. 

Stenciling  in  its  simplest  form  can  be  done  by  chil- 
dren with  their  paints.  For  tools  select  different  sizes 
of  sticks  of  wood  evenly  cut  at  one  end,  either  square  or 
oblong  in  shape.  Cork  stopples  of  different  sizes,  which 
are  round  or  may  be  cut  in  oval  shape,  must  be  col- 
lected. Have  the  paper  dry.  Press  the  end  of  the  stick  or 
stopple  into  fairly  thick  paint  and  stamp  on  the  paper. 
Thought  must  be  given  to  the  arrangement  of  spots  or 
design  before  beginning  the  work.  It  takes  practice  to 
stamp  on  the  color  evenly  and  in  regular  formation. 
This  work  is  very  effective  for  book  covers,  scrapbooks, 
and  anywhere  that  application  of  a  border  is  desired. 

CLAY  MODELING 

History  of  prehistoric  man  tells  us  that  his  existence 
depended  upon  what  he  could  accomplish  for  himself 
with  his  hands.  Psychologists  of  to-day  are  agreed  that 

43 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

the  development  of  mind  and  hand  go  together  m  the 
training  of  the  best  type  of  man.  Therefore,  through 
the  experience  of  the  ages  it  has  been  proved  that 
the  fundamental  instrument  in  child  education  is  the 
hand. 

We  have  seen  the  use  and  value  of  many  interesting 
phases  in  the  foregoing  chapters,  but  the  occupation 
which  develops  down  to  the  sensitive  finger-tips  is  clay 
modeling.  Primitive  man  found  out  its  value  when  he 
realized  he  could  make  his  home  and  utensils  of  clay. 
Then  the  enduring  character  of  the  utensil  called  for 
more  careful  workmanship;  so  designs  were  imprinted 
upon  it;  lines  depicted  a  story  or  records  of  events  to  be 
preserved.  The  hot  sun  of  the  Orient  taught  him  that 
clay  could  be  baked,  thus  making  it  imperishable,  which 
experience  has  been  used  and  perfected  to  the  present 
day.  This  discovery  brought  great  progress  in  the 
world's  industries  and  education. 

As  civilization  developed,  clay  remained  one  of  the 
best  mediums  of  expression.  This  is  noted  in  the  won- 
derful Greek  sculpture.  We  can  conclude,  therefore, 
that  modeling  in  clay  prepares  the  muscles  for  delicate 
use.  It  leads  to  beauty  of  form  and  accuracy,  which 
mean  the  well-trained  eye.  One  must  have  patience, 
carefulness,  and  neatness,  all  of  which  are  beneficial  to 
a  child's  growth. 

From  time  immemorial  making  and  baking  of  mud 
pies  have  been  the  joy  of  every  child.  By  the  seashore 
he  has  reveled  in  making  his  castle,  forts,  and  canals 
with  sand.  Sand,  however,  lacks  coherence  and  dura- 
bility and  satisfies  only  for  the  time  being.  Clay,  which 

44 


THE  LITTLE  ARTIST 

is  but  an  ugly  lump  of  gray,  soon  fascinates  the  child  as 
it  takes  form  under  his  hands.  At  first  the  crude  shape 
with  four  legs  is  called  a  horse  or  a  dog,  and  for  some 
time  his  imagination  deals  kindly  with  him.  Then  comes 
another  stage  when  he  is  not  satisfied ;  something  is  not 
right.  He  soon  feels  the  need  of  encouragement.  The 
time  has  now  come  for  the  discussion  of  pictures  and 
models  and  for  more  technical  and  accurate  work.  From 
this  point  on  there  is  rapid  development. 

MATERIAL 

Clay  can  be  purchased  in  two  forms.  From  potteries 
where  stone  jugs  and  crocks  are  made  it  can  be  procured 
in  its  moist  condition,  ready  for  use.  It  comes  also  in  the 
form  of  powder  in  five-pound  packages,  and  is  to  be  had 
from  school  supply  firms.  This  has  to  be  mixed  with 
water  to  the  right  consistency,  and  then  moulded  into 
loaves  like  bread.  There  are  substitutes  for  clay  on  the 
market  which  are  desirable  and  easily  handled.  Plas- 
teline  is  always  ready  for  use.  It  is  soft,  plastic,  and 
remains  so.  It  can  be  left  standing  any  length  of  time, 
and  can  be  worked  over  again  if  desired.  Plasticine 
resembles  plasteline  in  consistency,  and  both  of  these 
materials  come  in  many  colors.  It  is  the  purpose  of 
this  writing,  however,  to  tell  and  illustrate  what  can 
be  done  with  ordinary  clay,  for  this  work  hardens  and 
remains  for  all  time. 

CARE  OF  CLAY 

Clay  should  be  kept  in  a  covered  galvanized  pail.  If 
a  heavy  cloth  Hke  canvas  is  kept  damp  and  wrapped 

45 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

around  the  clay,  it  will  keep  moist  and  in  a  workable 
condition  for  many  weeks.  When  clay  becomes  too 
hard  for  use,  break  it  up  in  small  pieces  with  a  hammer. 
Put  it  into  a  bag  and  place  it  in  water  until  the  clay 
has  absorbed  enough  moisture.  Then  it  can  be  again 
moulded  into  shape. 

In  working  with  clay,  remember  that  it  is  clean  even 
though  it  may  stick  to  the  hands.  It  will  soon  turn  to 
powder  on  the  fingers,  and  by  clapping  the  hands  to- 
gether a  good  deal  of  it  is  removed.  If  clay  is  used  ex- 
tensively, the  skin  of  the  hands  may  seem  a  little  dry; 
therefore,  after  removing  all  clay  rub  into  the  pores  a 
little  glycerine  or  any  form  of  cold  cream. 

Prepare  a  table  by  covering  it  with  oilcloth  turned 
over  on  the  wrong  side.  Clay  is  more  easily  taken  up 
from  this  rougher  surface.  Modeling  in  its  primary  sense 
is  done  with  fingers  and  hands  alone,  yet  a  wooden 
skewer  comes  in  as  a  helping  tool.  To  cut  off  a  piece 
from  a  large  mould,  take  a  piece  of  string  and  holding 
it  taut  between  the  hands,  press  it  down  through  the 
mould.  This  cuts  like  a  slice  of  bread.  Give  a  child  a 
small  piece  at  a  time  because,  while  held  in  the  hand, 
moisture  soon  leaves  it  and  it  becomes  unworkable. 

USE  OF  CLAY 

A  NEW  occupation  has  come  to  the  child.  Let  him  play 
freely,  finding  out  its  qualifications  and  possibilities.  He 
will  pound  it,  roll  it,  pinch  and  press  it.  The  child's 
curiosity  as  to  the  feel  of  the  clay  must  first  be  satisfied. 
Encourage  him  to  make  something;  it  may  be  a  cookie, 
or  if  he  makes  a  hole  in  the  middle,  it  will  be  a  doughnut. 

46 


CLAY-MODELING 


THE  LITTLE  ARTIST 

He  may  roll  a  piece  that  will  be  called  a  banana,  Father's 
cigar,  or  Mother's  rolling  pin.  Then  comes  a  httle  ball 
which  he  can  call  a  marble. 

CHAINS 

Let  the  child  make  many  little  balls,  placing  them  in  a 
row.  These  will  suggest  beads  and  he  will  want  to  put 
them  together.  Take  heavy  linen  or  shoe-button  thread 
and  with  a  coarse  needle  string  them  while  they  are 
moist.  String  a  piece  of  paper,  then  a  bead,  and  so  on 
alternately.  This  will  keep  the  beads  from  adhering 
to  each  other  while  drying.  After  they  are  strung,  move 
them  around  occasionally  that  they  may  keep  free  to 
slide  on  the  thread.  After  twenty-four  or  thirty-six 
hours  they  will  have  become  thoroughly  dry  and  the 
paper  can  be  torn  away  from  between  them.  Fasten 
one  end  of  the  string  to  a  wire  or  nail  from  which  it  can 
hang.  Now  hold  on  to  the  other  end  and,  as  they  swing, 
paint  them  with  water-color  paints.  Use  as  little  water 
as  possible  with  the  paint,  as  otherwise  they  will  be- 
come streaked  and  will  need  several  coats  of  color.  As 
one  color  dries  another  color  can  be  used  over  to  give 
Oriental  or  Indian  effects.  When  the  paint  is  sufficiently 
dry,  white  shellac  can  be  applied,  not  only  to  preserve 
them,  but  to  give  a  luster  to  the  beads.  Use  a  bristle 
brush  for  shellac  and  when  not  in  use  keep  it  in  dena- 
tured alcohol.  Until  dry  the  shellac  is  sticky,  so  care 
must  be  used  in  keeping  the  beads  still  hung  up,  moving 
them  free  from  each  other.  This  is,  however,  a  short 
process  and  they  are  soon  dry  enough  to  be  left  to 
hai'den.   The  illustrations  give  varied  ideas  of  clay 

47 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

bead  chains  which  have  all  been  through  the  de- 
scribed process  of  making.  Different  shapes  other  than 
the  round  ball  can  be  introduced  with  effectiveness. 
Children  are  equal  to  this  work  with  some  supervision 
and  will  take  great  pride  in  the  finished  finery. 

CLAY  ARTICLES 

The  simple  ball  may  become  an  oval  in  shape  which 
may  be  called  a  bird's  egg.  After  several  of  these  have 
been  moulded,  a  bird's  nest  will  need  to  be  made.  Balls 
and  eggs  have  been  made  by  the  rolling  round  and  round 
in  the  palm  of  the  hand,  but  the  fingers  must  come  into 
play  in  making  more  difficult  objects.  From  a  lump  of 
clay,  press  down  in  the  center,  continually  working  to 
make  the  hollow  of  the  nest.  The  outside  of  a  nest  has 
a  rougher  appearance,  but  it  must  have  the  round  effect 
of  the  weaving'of  straw  and  hair  of  the  real  nest.  A  few 
strokes  with  the  wooden  skewer  will  give  the  desired 
results.  A  bird  can  be  made  to  sit  on  the  nest.  From 
another  lump  of  clay,  mould  the  oval  body,  stretching 
it  out  at  one  end  to  make  the  head.  Pinch  a  little  bill 
out  from  the  clay  head.  The  tail,  if  short,  may  be 
moulded  from  the  same  piece  of  clay;  but  if  it  is  a  long 
tail  the  clay  should  be  flattened  and  made  wedge- 
shaped  at  one  end.  The  tail  is  then  pressed  on  the 
body.  Sometimes  a  toothpick  is  useful  here.  Stick  half 
into  the  body  and  half  into  the  tail  and  work  the  clay 
over  it,  blending  all  together  like  one  piece.  In  all  figures 
keep  smoothing  clay  with  the  end  of  the  thumb  or  fore- 
finger that  no  humps  or  cracks  remain,  for  in  the  drying 
it  might  crack  and  get  out  of  shape.  Children  cling  to 

48 


CLAY  BEADS 


THE  LITTLE  ARTIST 

the  animal  world  in  their  visions  and  hours  of  play. 
Much  can  be  learned  of  animals,  their  habits  and  shapes, 
by  moulding  these  forms.  Perhaps  the  circus  has  been 
visited  and  a  clay  menagerie  is  desired  at  home.  The 
elephant  must  show  his  big  flappy  ears,  his  long  trunk, 
and  his  beautiful  ivory  tusks.  Many  animals,  like  the 
dog,  cat,  or  bunny,  are  living  models  in  the  home  of  the 
child  to  be  observed  and  reproduced  in  this  play.  Small 
sticks  are  used  in  making  legs  that  are  attached  to  the 
body.  They  are,  of  course,  hidden  in  the  clay  and  yet 
they  give  much  support  and  poise  to  the  finished  prod- 
uct. Articles  of  usefulness  can  be  made,  too,  not  for- 
getting that  they  can  be  given  as  Christmas  presents. 
There  are  the  bowls,  ash  trays,  and  candlesticks.  In 
the  curved  handle  of  the  candlestick  or  in  similar  places 
where  the  curve  needs  support,  a  piece  of  wire  can  be 
introduced  through  the  clay  and  treated  as  the  sticks  of 
wood  in  other  pieces.  The  clock  illustrates  once  more  the 
fascination  of  the  timepiece  to  all  children.  The  fruits, 
too,  are  such  familiar  objects  that  it  is  easy  for  them 
to  mould  an  apple,  pear,  or  orange.  They  are  simple  to 
form  in  clay.  Take  a  lump  of  clay  and  form  a  smooth 
ball  making  an  indentation  at  the  top  and  bottom  for 
an  apple.  The  pear  will  be  slightly  elongated  and  nar- 
rowed at  the  top.  A  separate  leaf  and  stem  attached 
completes  the  imitation  of  nature.  Use  of  paint  and  shel- 
lac gives  added  pleasure  and  interest  to  all  this  work. 

TILES 

The  making  of  tiles  or  plaques  is  another  form  of  clay 
modeling.  It  may  illustrate  a  story  the  child  has  heard 

49 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

or  a  picture  he  wishes  to  copy  or  yet  again  some  fan- 
ciful idea  in  his  mind.  It  gives  expression  of  the 
imagination  in  picture  rather  than  in  words.  Cut  and 
smooth  out  with  a  wooden  clay  knife  or  skewer  a  piece 
of  clay  four  or  five  inches  square,  and  a  half -inch  in 
thickness.  It  is  well  first  to  draw  on  paper  a  pattern  of 
desired  illustration  or  design,  then  w  ith  the  pointed  end 
of  the  skewer  copy  it  in  outline  on  the  tile.  You  will 
then  be  better  able  to  see  just  how  and  where  to  place 
clay.  Take  small  pieces  of  clay,  flatten  out  to  shape  of 
pattern,  and  press  on  the  tile  within  the  given  outline. 
With  fingers,  smooth  around  the  edges  so  that  soon  it 
will  look  as  though  it  was  a  part  of  the  tile  in  bas-relief. 
Another  way  of  treating  the  tile  is  to  outline  the  form  on 
the  tile  as  before;  this  time  cut  or  chisel  away  from  the 
design,  leaving  it  raised  in  bas-relief.  This  work,  how- 
ever, would  be  for  the  more  advanced  student  who  has 
passed  through  the  simpler  stages. 

Children  enjoy  taking  leaves  of  trees  or  shrubbery  and 
spreading  them  on  a  moist  clay  tile.  Press  the  leaf 
gently  upon  it  over  its  entire  shape,  and  there  in  all  its 
detail  of  veins  it  will  appear  beautifully  imprinted  upon 
the  clay.  Now  around  the  outline  of  the  clay  leaf,  press 
away  with  the  fingers  some  of  the  tile,  leaving  the  design 
to  stand  out  by  itself.  As  is  seen  in  the  illustrations,  the 
subjects  for  this  work  have  a  wide  range.  Here  is  the 
black  cat,  a  goose,  three  little  bunnies;  perhaps  they 
are  Flopsie,  Mopsie,  and  Cottontail  having  a  discussion 
concerning  the  antics  of  Peter  Rabbit.  There  is  a  won- 
derful cow,  a  dainty  butterfly,  and  a  basket  of  fruit.  The 
soldier  on  his  fine  steed  recalls  the  story  of  the  knight 

§0 


TILES  IN  CLAY 


THE  LITTLE  ARTIST 

coming  in  search  of  the  good  child.  The  Dutch  girl  is  a 
familiar  figure,  for  we  see  her  in  the  well-known  adver- 
tisement for  Dutch  Cleanser.  The  gorgeous  peacock  dis- 
plays his  tail  feathers  and  the  little  girl  is  seen  picking 
her  flowers.  Painting  these  tiles  and  articles  gives  the 
realistic  interpretation,  and  the  coat  of  shellac  over  all 
preserves  color  and  form. 

Perhaps  some  of  these  things  may  seem  beyond  the 
child's  ability;  but  there  is  much  he  can  do  through  in- 
terest, perseverance,  and  gradual  development.  He 
will  soon  want  to  do  the  part  he  has  been  assisted  in,  and 
surprising  results  will  follow.  Where  the  older  child  has 
made  a  bowl  or  vase  for  flowers  and  it  is  to  be  so  used, 
it  will  be  necessary  to  use  enamel  paint  and  have  it  fired 
in  a  kiln  as  is  all  china  and  pottery  that  is  made  for  serv- 
ice. That  is  a  more  advanced  step  in  the  art  of  model- 
ing and  requires  further  study.  Water-color  paints  and 
white  shellac  are  sufficient  to  use  w  ith  the  little  children. 
Throughout  the  fascinating  development  of  clay  model- 
ing our  first  idea  must  not  be  forgotten,  which  is,  that  it 
stands  for  great  educational  value  in  the  building-up  of 
the  child's  mind  and  trains  his  sense  of  touch  to  a  great 
degree. 

In  all  branches  of  work  and  play,  let  the  boys  and 
girls  work  out  ideas  for  themselves  when  they  can;  let 
us  guide  them  when  they  turn  to  us  for  advice  and  find 
our  happiness  in  Froebers  motto,  'Xome,  let  us  live 
with  our  children." 


IV 
USE  OF  NATURE  MATERIALS 

THE  inborn  love  of  nature  and  a  desire  to  get 
close  to  it,  turn  our  first  thoughts  to  suggestions 
for  the  little  child  as  he  plays  among  the  pretty  flow- 
ers, picks  up  round  pebbles  by  the  roadside  or  attractive 
shells  at  the  seashore.  The  touching  of  things  leads  to 
the  play  with  things.  Thus  the  collecting  instinct  is 
first  portrayed  and  should  be  encouraged. 

CHAINS 

As  you  sit  under  the  trees  with  your  sewing,  be  sure  you 
have  brought  with  you  a  strong  linen  thread  and  a 
coarse  needle.  At  almost  any  time  of  the  year  materials 
for  chains  are  to  be  found.  In  the  fall  of  the  year  comes 
the  large  variety  of  seeds  and  berries.  There  is  much 
fun  in  stringing  them  into  a  chain.  Talk  with  the  child 
about  the  colors  or  arrangement  of  these  on  the  chain. 
This  calls  forth  originality.  The  rose  seeds,  or  rose 
hips,  as  they  are  sometimes  called,  may  be  gathered  in 
abundance  by  the  roadside  from  the  wild  rose  bush. 
These  make  a  brilliant  red  necklace.  The  combination  of 
squash  and  watermelon  seeds  makes  a  chain  in  black 
and  white  contrast.  The  fun  of  counting  the  seeds  is 
good  mathematical  exercise,  saying,  "Two  black,  one 
white,"  repeating  over  and  over  again  as  they  are 
strung.  These  seeds,  as  well  as  corn  and  peas,  can  be 

52 


USE  OF  NATURE  MATERIALS 

dried  and  kept  for  the  winter  days  when  storms  bring 
shut-in  hours  for  the  Httle  folks.  Acorns  and  horse- 
chestnuts  make  heavier  chains  and  a  Httle  harder  to 
string,  but  still  it  is  all  good  fun.  When  the  festival 
days  draw  near  the  youngest  of  the  family  can  help 
prepare  the  decorations.  Popcorn  and  cranberries  strung, 
either  separately  or  together,  make  a  bright  spot  on 
the  Christmas-tree.  Straw  cut  into  inch  lengths  com- 
bined with  a  seed  or  berry  is  attractive.  Macaroni  may 
be  used  in  the  same  way.  Break  it  into  inch  lengths. 
With  water-colors  paint  some  pieces  blue  and  some  red. 
In  stringing  these  be  sure  to  put  the  pieces  on  each  time 
in  the  same  order:  red,  white,  and  blue.  This  makes  a 
patriotic  chain.  Squash  seeds  take  the  water-color  paint 
very  well,  so  one  can  make  colored  chains  with  them. 

Dandelion  stem  chains  are  fun  to  make.  Break  off  the 
flower  head.  Now  put  the  small  end  of  the  stem,  which  is 
nearest  the  flower,  inside  the  other  end.  This  makes  a 
link.  Slip  another  stem  through  this  link  and  join  the 
ends  in  the  same  manner.  Continue  until  the  desired 
length,  then  join  the  two  ends  of  the  chain  by  linking 
them  together  with  another  stem. 

Pine  needle  chain :  If  you  are  in  the  woods  near  a  pine 
tree,  stop  long  enough  to  gather  tufts  of  pine  needles. 
Take  one  cluster  and  carefully  remove  all  the  needles 
save  one.  Bend  this  one  over  and  slip  the  point  into  the 
little  pocket  made  vacant  by  removing  the  others.  This 
is  the  unit  link  in  which  is  slipped  the  next  needle,  and 
so  on  until  the  chain  is  finished,  as  in  the  dandelion 
chain.  On  the  last  link  a  red  berry  can  be  placed  as  a 
sort  of  pendant. 

53 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

Noted  in  the  chains  illustrated  are  interesting  com- 
binations of  seeds.  The  acorn  chains  are  heavy  but 
symmetrical  and  rich  looking.  The  purple  seeds  are 
from  the  muskmelon  and  dipped  in  purple  ink.  These 
are  combined  with  small  rose  hips.  The  hemlock  cones 
have  barberry  berries  with  them,  while  the  black  and 
orange  chain  are  colored  berries  picked  up  from  under 
shrubbery  in  the  parkway.  Job's  tears  combined  with 
seeds  from  the  pod  of  a  linden-tree  make  a  chain,  soft 
in  colors  and  attractive  to  wear.  When  dry,  the  bitter- 
sweet berries  burst  into  lovely  shapes.  These  combined 
with  rose  hips  make  a  dainty  chain. 

Children  enjoy  painting  squash  seeds  and  these  in 
black  and  yellow  suggest  the  Hallowe'en  festivities.  The 
chain  resembling  coral  is  nothing  more  than  hundreds  of 
muskmelon  seeds  strung  through  the  middle  and  dipped 
in  red  ink.  It  is  lovely  enough  to  grace  any  gown. 

LEAVES 

Next  to  the  flowers  and  seeds  come  the  leaves,  fascinat- 
ing in  their  varied  shapes  and  colorings.  Children  de- 
light in  decorating  themselves  with  wreaths  on  their 
heads  or  about  their  necks.  These  are  made  by  pinning 
leaves  together  with  green  stems  or  twigs.  Picture  frames 
may  also  be  made.  Different  combinations  of  sizes, 
shapes,  and  shades  of  leaves  suggest  a  great  variety  of 
design  and  construction.  Little  folks  may  be  kept  busy 
and  contented  a  long  time  by  playing  tea  party  under 
the  trees.  Make  a  tablecloth  by  pinning  leaves  together 
in  a  solid  square;  use  one  leaf  for  a  napkin  and  set  the 
table  with  acorn  cups.  Pretty  plates  and  baskets  can  be 

54> 


NATURE  CHAINS 


USE  OF  NATURE  IVIATERIALS 

made  from  the  burrs  of  the  burdock  plant.  The  adhesive 
propensities  of  these  Uttle  prickly  balls  offer  opportu- 
nities for  almost  any  shape.  Two  remarkable  examples 
of  the  use  of  burrs  are  illustrated  here :  one  of  the  little 
dog  with  the  perky  turn  of  the  head  and  the  other  one 
a  stately  camel. 

CONSTRUCTION  WORK  WITH  DRIED  PEAS 

Take  a  small  quantity  of  dried  peas  and  soak  them 
overnight.  Remove  them  from  the  water  a  little  while 
before  using  and  you  will  find  they  will  be  soft  enough  to 
pierce  with  a  needle.  A  form  of  constructive  play  may 
be  developed  by  straightening  a  wire  hairpin  and  plac- 
ing peas  on  in  a  row.  This  develops  the  child's  ability 
to  count.  Now  bring  a  supply  of  wooden  toothpicks 
with  which  to  build.  More  pleasure  is  gained  by  de- 
veloping slowly,  so  pierce  one  pea  with  a  toothpick, 
allowing  the  child's  imagination  to  guess  what  it  resem- 
bles. It  may  look  like  a  hatpin  or  a  cane.  Place  a  pea  on 
the  other  end  of  the  toothpick  and  then  it  may  look  like 
a  dumb-bell  with  which  Father  takes  his  morning  exer- 
cise, or  it  may  be  a  rolling  pin  which  Mother  uses  when 
making  cookies.  x4t  right  angles  from  each  of  these  put 
toothpicks  in  the  same  direction  and  then  two  more 
perpendicularly  from  the  same  two  peas  at  another 
right  angle.  At  the  ends  of  these  four  toothpicks  attach 
more  peas,  join  with  more  picks  until  a  skeleton  cube  is 
made.  Once  this  first  form  is  made  there  is  no  end  of 
designs  and  building  which  can  be  developed.  Try  to 
make  a  chair,  table,  house,  chicken  coop,  barn,  and  so  on. 
Notice  the  wonderful  aeroplane,  the  gunboat,  a  man 

55 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

riding  a  horse,  and  the  farmer's  pitchfork.  All  phases 
of  life  interests  can  be  suggested  in  this  play.  Flatwork 
suggests  stars,  snowflakes,  and  all  forms  of  geometric 
designs.  Note  illustrations. 

VEGETABLE  TOYS  AND  DOLLS 

In  getting  the  potatoes  for  dinner,  unusual  shapes  are 
found  which  may  be  evolved  into  suggestive  forms. 
Again  use  toothpicks  or  wooden  skewers  for  legs  and  you 
will  soon  have  a  wonderful  menagerie.  Just  before  mak- 
ing the  lemon  pie,  see  if  the  boy  can  imagine  a  pig  made 
from  the  lemon.  From  the  orange  peel  try  to  fashion  a 
boat.  Pin  a  toothpick  through  a  piece  of  paper,  stick  this 
into  the  peel  and  a  sailboat  is  completed.  From  the  stone 
of  a  peach  which  has  been  dried,  a  little  basket  can  be 
whittled.  Making  the  pointed  end  of  the  stone  the  top, 
cut  down  on  each  side  nearly  halfway.  Remove  the 
inner  nut  and  you  will  see  you  have  made  the  handle. 
This  cutting  takes  time  and  patience,  and  is  too  difficult 
for  a  child  to  do;  but  the  toy  made  by  Father  or  Big 
Brother  will  be  highly  treasured.  The  little  girl  will  put 
it  on  a  ribbon  and  hang  it  round  her  neck.  By  digging 
out  the  inside  of  a  horse-chestnut  and  patting  in  through 
the  side  a  wooden  skewer,  a  play  pipe  is  made,  which 
especially  pleases  the  little  boy. 

Corn  husks  should  not  be  hastily  discarded,  as  from 
these  wonderful  dolls  may  be  made  to  the  delight  of 
every  boy  and  girl.  Wrap  the  green  husk  around  a  bunch 
of  the  brown  silk  which  flows  out  as  hair.  About  two 
inches  down,  tie  with  a  stout  thread  or  string,  tightly 
drawing  in  a  neck  which  also  forms  the  head.   With 

5Q 


CONSTRUCTION  WORK  WITH  TOOTHPICKS  AND  PEAS 


USE  OF  NATURE  MATERIALS 

scissors  cut  the  green  husk  up  a  short  way  on  both 
sides.  This  makes  the  arms.  With  more  string  tie  in- 
side these  cuttings,  thus  forming  the  waist  hne.  A  few 
strokes  with  crayon  or  pen  make  the  face  and  a  doll  has 
come  to  life.  More  time  may  be  spent  to  complete  this 
creation,  but  this  is  the  simple  transformation. 

In  the  illustration  note  the  Indian  warrior  made  of 
husks.  Small  hens'  feathers  complete  the  headdress. 
The  simplest  of  all  dolls  is  the  one  made  of  hay.  Surely 
a  child  should  not  want  for  a  plaything  so  simple  as  this. 
Take  a  bunch  of  dried  grass,  arranging  it  so  that  the  stems 
lie  the  same  way.  With  string  tie  the  bunch  a  short  way 
from  the  top  to  make  the  head.  Take  spears  from  each 
side,  cutting  off  a  correct  length  to  tie  for  arms.  Bind  in 
the  waist  line  and  lower  down  divide  in  halves,  tying 
again  to  make  the  legs. 

Seen  in  the  picture  is  an  acorn  doll.  The  acorns  are 
pierced  with  a  sharp  point  and  strung  on  stout  string. 
The  same  kind  of  doll  is  made  with  peanuts.  The  top 
nut  being  the  head,  use  ink  here  to  make  the  features 
of  the  face.  Nuts  strung  in  this  fashion,  leaving  a  long 
end  of  string  at  the  top  of  the  head,  are  loose-jointed, 
so  that,  to  the  delight  of  your  baby,  the  doll  dances 
and  hops  around.  The  acorn  especially  is  a  practical 
toy  for  the  youngest  child,  as  there  is  no  harm  done  if  he 
puts  it  into  his  mouth. 

Notice  the  brownie  boy  made  of  a  sweet  potato.  He 
has  a  feather  in  his  head  which  resembles  a  cap.  The 
bird  is  also  made  from  a  sweet  potato.  He  has  twigs  for 
his  feet,  black  pins  for  his  beady  eyes,  and  a  feather  for 
his  tail.   The  white  potato  cat  almost  speaks  to  us:  A 

57 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

small  potato  is  joined  to  a  larger  potato  with  toothpicks 
to  make  the  head.  His  face  is  drawn  with  ink,  his  whisk- 
ers are  small  pieces  from  the  whisk  broom,  while  the 
pink  bow  around  his  neck  adds  the  finishing  touch.  The 
turnip  man  also  shov/s  great  possibilities  in  this  vege- 
table. The  small  turnip  was  placed  upside  down  for  the 
head,  so  that  the  fibrous  root  could  be  tied  with  a  bow 
and  wave  in  the  air  like  a  queue. 

Other  vegetables,  such  as  the  radish  or  carrot,  may  be- 
come dolls  too.  On  a  wooden  skewer  place  a  rosy  radish. 
Leave  a  little  of  its  green  on  top,  and  tie  around  the 
bottom  some  leaves  or  grass,  thus  forming  a  dress. 
Mark  a  face  on  the  red  cheeks  and  I  'm  sure  another  doll 
will  smile  at  his  little  playmates. 

A  special  surprise  for  a  fitting  occasion  would  be  the 
fig  doll.  It  is  not  only  good  to  look  at,  but  good  to  eat. 
On  a  toothpick  put  first  the  broad  side  of  a  fig.  This  is 
the  body.  Next  put  on  a  marshmallow,  which  is  the 
head,  and  on  top  place  another  fig  the  narrow  way,  which 
will  be  the  tam-o'-shanter.  On  four  other  toothpicks 
place  a  row  of  raisins  leaving  room  to  pierce  the  other 
end  into  the  fig  body,  where  the  two  arms  and  two  legs 
should  go.  With  a  small  quantity  of  melted  chocolate 
on  the  end  of  a  toothpick  draw  the  features  of  the  face 
on  the  marshmallow.  Whole  cloves  may  be  placed  down 
the  front  of  the  body  to  represent  buttons  of  his  coat. 

As  before  mentioned,  the  collecting  instinct  is  so 
strong  in  children  that  when  they  so  desire  they  should 
be  given  their  freedom  to  enjoy  it.  Because  of  the  large 
variety  of  specimens,  special  places  and  boxes  should 
be  arranged  for  them,  thus  causing  little  confusion  to 

58 


NATURE  TOYS 


USE  OF  NATURE  MATERIALS 

the  household  and  giving  great  delight  to  the  child. 
Much  of  this  material  will  serve  as  amusement  on  rainy- 
days  and  the  actual  collecting  is  surely  educational. 
Nature  produces  many  things  for  the  children  to  collect. 
There  are  the  flowers  and  leaves  to  press,  also  the  sea 
moss  which  can  be  washed,  dried,  and  pressed.  The  Irish 
moss  is,  of  course,  edible  and  may  be  kept  for  years. 
There  are  small  stones,  seashells,  seeds  of  every  kind, 
acorn  cups,  nuts,  pods,  pine  cones,  and  last  year's  birds* 
nests.  Perhaps  a  new  house  is  being  built  near  by  where 
many  small  pieces  of  wood  have  been  thrown  aside. 
These  should  be  collected  and  would  mean  hours  of  play 
and  pleasure  from  the  baby  just  beginning  to  notice 
things,  to  the  little  man  who  wants  to  build  an  engine 
house.  With  a  jackknife,  the  rough  edges  may  be 
smoothed  down,  so  that  no  splinters  shall  be  found  to 
cause  trouble. 

A  child  likes  to  dig,  and  unless  a  special  place  is  given 
him  some  treasured  plant  may  happen  to  fall  victim  to 
the  ruthless  energies  of  youth.  The  diminutive  garden 
tools  are  easily  obtainable.  An  old  iron  spoon  is  a  favor- 
ite tool,  while  from  a  shingle  may  be  whittled  a  spade. 
By  the  seashore  a  clamshell  is  the  nearest  implement 
at  hand.  Let  the  boy  or  girl  have  a  corner  of  the  vege- 
table garden,  that  he  may  plant  his  own  beans,  watch 
them  grow,  gather  and  then  eat  them.  A  flow^er  bed,  too, 
is  a  source  of  great  delight.  There  is  always  a  little  pride 
in  caring  for  one's  possessions.  This  note  of  responsi- 
bility may  need  to  be  encouraged  by  Mother;  but  once 
instilled  in  youth,  it  may  be  the  greatest  force  in  after 
years  for  a  successful  life. 

59 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

The  great  resources  in  Nature's  world  for  play  and 
education,  for  youth  as  well  as  adult  life,  are  so  extensive 
and  manifold  that  these  seem  but  few  suggestions. 
Every  season  brings  its  charm,  and  we  have  but  to  use 
our  eyes  and  hands  and  the  mind  is  soon  occupied.  Out- 
standing in  my  mind  is  one  play  which  filled  hours  and 
hours  of  my  out-of-door  life.  It  was  the  making  of 
villages  under  the  trees  in  the  orchard  of  the  old  home- 
stead I  used  to  visit.  The  ground  was  rich  and  soft  and 
much  material  seemed  near  at  hand.  By  taking  empty 
spools  I  rolled  out  street  after  street,  delighting  in  the 
cunning  little  tracks  they  made.  I  collected  pebbles 
to  make  stone  walls,  and  pieces  of  wood  to  represent 
houses  and  buildings  of  all  kinds.  There  were  small 
branches  for  trees  and  shrubbery  with  which  to  lay  out 
parks,  while  a  dish  of  water,  surrounded  and  packed  in 
with  earth,  became  my  pond.  "VMien  my  town  was  built 
and  streets  named  after  those  of  my  own  town,  I  would 
play  go  to  ride  on  the  spool.  I  would  roll  it  up  this 
street,  down  that  avenue,  stop  to  see  a  friend  or  call  on 
Auntie,  until  only  the  dinner  call  made  me  realize  an- 
other happy  morning  had  gone  by.  Perhaps  a  shower 
came  up,  or  a  hen  in  her  strolling  found  a  good  place  to 
scratch,  so  the  town  fell !  That,  however,  never  daunted 
me,  because  I  knew  I  would  have  the  fun  of  building 
another. 


NATURE  DOLLS 


V 
LITTLE  FARMERS 

"O  the  green  things  growing,  the  green  things  growing. 
The  faint  sweet  smell  of  green  things  growing! 
I  should  like  to  live,  whether  I  smile  or  grieve. 
Just  to  watch  the  happy  life  of  green  things  growing." 

FROM  our  observation  of  human  life  we  learn  that 
there  is  nothing  so  fascinating,  so  interesting, 
beautiful,  and  miraculous  to  the  people  of  the  world 
as  Nature.  The  desire  or  longing  to  get  closer  to  it  is 
revealed  in  our  love  of  gardening.  This  love  of  gar- 
dening we  find  instinctive  in  childhood.  To  prove  this, 
one  has  only  to  observe  a  child  playing  in  the  mud, 
dirt,  or  sand.  It  is  as  if  Dame  Earth,  with  her  wonder- 
ful lesson  of  Nature,  were  drawing  the  child  to  her  in 
loving  playfulness  to  whisper  low  the  sweet  lessons  to 
be  learned  in  planting  a  seed  and  watching  the  won- 
derful unfolding  of  life. 

The  little  child  has  a  right  to  dig  in  the  earth,  plant 
a  seed,  and  watch  the  results.  He  should  be  given  a  por- 
tion of  the  yard  or  a  corner  of  the  home  garden  to  call 
his  own.  If  the  child  lives  in  a  home  without  surround- 
ing grounds,  perhaps  he  could  plant  a  little  garden 
near  by  in  a  vacant  lot,  or  if  he  happens  to  live  in  the 
crowded  section  of  the  city  he  may  be  able  to  obtain 
a  box  from  a  grocery  store,  and  fill  it  with  earth  in 
which  he  may  plant  his  seeds.  The  mother  can  easily 
adapt  herself  to  the  living  conditions  and  thus  give  to 

61 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

hev  ciiild  the  kind  of  garden  which  she  is  able  to  obtain. 
If  possible,  the  taking  of  a  ride  or  walk  into  the  coun- 
try gives  him  an  opportunity  to  observe  plant  life  about 
him.  Let  him  notice  where  things  grow,  when  they 
grow,  and  how  they  grow. 

"A  little  rain  and  a  little  sun 
And  a  little  pearly  dew. 
And  a  pushing  up  and  a  reaching  out. 
Ah!  that's  the  way  the  flowers  grow. 
Don't  you  know?  " 

Of  all  the  children  the  wide  world  over,  the  ones 
who  are  blest  with  a  home  in  the  country  are  the  most 
fortunate.  There  they  have  an  opportunity  to  become 
acquainted  with  Nature  first-hand. 

When  instructing  a  child  in  garden-making,  it  is  best 
to  guide  him  to  find  out  things  through  his  own  efforts 
and  experiences.  This  can  be  done  by  giving  the  right 
assistance,  which  will  open  the  way  to  keep  his  interest 
and  avoid  discouragement.  If  the  child  learns  to  think 
about  what  he  is  doing  and  the  manner  of  doing  it,  he 
will  continue  to  reason  and  act  through  life  on  the  same 
basis.  In  this  garden  project  the  children  must  be 
shown  that  we  do  not  simply  put  seeds  into  the  ground 
and  then  expect  them  to  grow.  We  must  show  the 
children  that  it  is  necessary  to  know  how  to  prepare  the 
soil  for  the  seeds,  when  to  plant,  to  water,  and  to  remove 
weeds.  Discuss  with  the  child  the  appropriate  locations 
and  why.  If  a  place  is  selected  where  the  sun  does  not 
shine  all  day,  try  for  a  place  which  has  the  morning 
sun  rather  than  the  afternoon  sun.  Flowers  are  like 
children  who  wake  up  early  in  the  morning  and  will 

62 


PAPER-CUTTING 


LITTLE  FARMERS 

want  to  find  the  sun  then.  K  one  can  have  only  a  shady 
place  for  the  garden,  one  can  still  have  a  pretty  one  of 
flowers  which  prefer  the  shade  such  as  pansies,  forget- 
me-nots,  and  lilies-of-the-valley.  It  also  makes  a  great 
deal  of  difference  to  a  plant  whether  it  finds  anything 
good  to  eat  or  not.  Soil  and  water  are  the  chief  foods. 
In  poor  soil  nasturtiums  and  mignonette  can  be  grown, 
while  in  sandy  soil  the  dahlias  and  poppies  thrive.  When 
planting  the  garden  bed  against  a  wall  or  fence,  be  sure 
to  put  the  tallest  plants  at  the  back  because  it  is  enough 
for  these  to  look  over  the  heads  of  the  shorter  ones,  but 
if  instead  the  little  ones  are  put  at  the  back  they  cannot 
see  anything  or  get  any  air  or  sunshine,  for  the  tall 
plants  take  it  all.  The  morning-glory  is  a  quick-growing 
vine  which  spreads  rapidly  and  blossoms  profusely  in 
the  sunshine.  Mother  should  help  in  advice  as  to  choice 
of  seeds  according  to  conditions  of  the  garden  plot.  Let 
the  child  mark  off  his  garden  and  plant  the  seeds.  Tell 
him  how  it  is  to  be  done,  whether  the  seeds  should  be 
scattered  or  planted  in  rows,  and  the  distance  between 
each  seed.  The  following  rhyme  may  be  learned  at  the 
planting  time  and  convey  with  it  some  of  the  necessary 
directions  for  success : 

"When  the  sun  has  gone  away,  ' 

That's  the  proper  time  of  day. 
If  you  plant  the  seed  too  deep. 
Then  the  leaves  may  never  peep. 
Seeds  four  times  their  depth  must  go; 
That  is,  if  they  are  to  grow. 
Keep  the  ground  stirred  in  your  garden  plot, 
'T  is  better  than  too  much  watering-pot." 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

Another  rhyme  which  helps  one  to  remember  when 
to  plant  vegetables  which  come  later  in  the  season  runs 
as  follows: 

"Beans  and  cucumbers,  melons,  corn  — 
Don't  plant  these  till  the  weather 's  warm; 
Squash  and  tomato,  pumpkin  too. 
Early  sowing  for  these  won't  do." 

Here  are  some  important  teachings  concerning  the 

use  of  the  watering-pot: 

"This  is  the  song  of  the  watering-pot, 
Don't  use  me  when  the  sun  is  hot. 
Wait  until  he  has  gone  away. 
Fill  me  with  water  at  close  of  day. 
Then  soak  yoiu-  plants  and  soak  again. 
Soak  and  soak,  till  they  think  it's  rain. 
Soak  till  each  root  gets  all  it  wants. 
That's  the  way  to  w^ater  your  plants. 
Next  morning  loosen  the  earth  on  top. 
So  the  moisture  below  will  stop. 
Then  hang  me  up  on  a  nail  quite  high. 
Don't  use  me  again  till  the  soil  is  dry." 

In  laying  out  the  garden  the  use  of  a  measuring-stick 
or  a  string  for  proper  spacing  will  contribute  much  to 
the  beauty  of  the  garden  as  it  grows.  A  little  plan  which 
gives  joy  to  the  beginner  is  simple  if  there  is  enough 
space.  By  means  of  a  stick  or  hoe,  write  the  little  gar- 
dener's name  in  the  carefully  prepared  soil  bed.  Then, 
following  the  curves  of  the  name,  sprinkle  some  seed 
such  as  lettuce.  Cover  these  lightly  with  earth  and  pat. 
When  the  dainty  little  plants  make  their  appearance^  the 
green  name  on  the  earthy  background  is  very  much 
appreciated  by  the  child.  He  will  need  to  weed  carefully 
by  hand  if  he  is  to  preserve  the  design,  and  then  come*^ 

64 


LITTLE  FARMERS 

the  lesson  in  weeding.  The  child  will  soon  learn  the 
reason  and  will,  early  in  the  game,  recognize  the  most 
common  weeds.  He  must  know  that  they  should  be 
pulled  up  because  they  take  the  strength  from  the  little 
plants  and  use  up  the  good  substances  of  the  soil  which 
are  really  food  for  the  plants.  Vegetables  and  plants 
that  climb  must  have  sticks  or  poles  or  trellises  placed 
beside  them  so  they  can  twist,  turn,  and  cling  as  they 
grow. 

The  hidden  mysteries  of  planting  and  growing  are 
sometimes  too  much  for  the  child  to  understand  and  he 
has  a  great  desire  to  pluck  the  plant,  root  and  all,  just 
to  see  how  it  grows.  In  such  cases  it  would  be  wise  for 
Mother  to  take  a  glass  dish  and  fill  it  with  wet  moss. 
Put  peas  or  beans  in  the  moss  which  must  be  kept 
soaked  with  water.  When  the  seeds  first  sprout  show 
them  to  the  child  that  he  may  see  for  himself.  Daily, 
then,  he  is  fascinated  to  watch  the  seed  throw  out  its 
httle  plant,  and  he  can  thus  understand  that  the  same 
process  is  going  on  under  the  ground.  As  the  earth  has 
more  food  for  the  seed  it  will  grow  stronger  and  better 
there  than  on  the  moss,  so  let  him  now  plant  it  in  a  pot 
of  dirt  or  in  the  ground  and  wait  patiently  for  it  to  grow. 

If  the  child  seems  to  want  more  botanical  instruction 
it  may  be  an  excellent  time  to  talk  more  scientifically. 
Take  a  plant  that  has  been  developed  so  that  root,  stem, 
leaf,  flower,  and  perhaps  partially  developed  seed  are 
all  visible,  such  as  the  string  bean.  Now  explain  how  the 
plant  grows,  feeding  through  the  root  from  the  soil  by 
means  of  numerous  rootlets.  Tell  of  the  food  and  water 
that  are  required  just  as  people  need  nourishment. 

65 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

Notice  the  alimentary  system,  or  stems  that  convey  the 
digested  food  to  the  leaves,  flower,  and  seed.  The  leaves 
also  do  their  part  by  absorbing  from  the  air  and  rain 
more  goodness.  Study  the  general  formation  of  the 
flower  as  a  protection  and  provider  for  the  seed  pod  and 
its  precious  contents,  which  will  later  reproduce  the  life 
of  the  plant  after  it  has  passed  away.  It  would  also  be 
interesting  to  compare  other  means  of  plant  propagation 
such  as  bulbs  and  root  growths  instead  of  seeds.  The 
potato,  turnip,  and  carrot  illustrate  vegetable  roots,  and 
tulips  or  lilies  are  examples  of  flower  bulbs.  For  a  house 
plant  take  a  five-inch  flower  pot,  fill  it  with  an  inch 
and  a  half  depth  of  rich  soil.  On  this  set  the  brown  bulb, 
covering  it  slightly  with  dirt.  Put  in  a  cool  place  in  the 
cellar.  In  about  two  weeks  the  bulb  will  begin  to  push 
up.  It  must  then  be  covered  with  a  little  more  dirt,  re- 
peating the  process  as  fast  as  the  stalk  comes  up  until 
the  pot  is  nearly  filled  to  the  top.  By  the  middle  of  Jan- 
uary you  can  bring  the  pot  to  the  light,  putting  it  into 
a  cool  room,  and  spraying  the  foliage  often.  If  Easter 
is  getting  near  and  you  want  to  hurry  the  flower,  bring  it 
into  a  warm,  sunny  room.  The  Easter  lily  is  one  of  the 
loveliest  plants  to  grow.  October  is  the  usual  time  of 
planting  bulbs.  An  Easter  lily  makes  a  lovely  Christmas 
present,  so  by  starting  to  work  with  the  bulb  in  August 
the  plant  will  be  ready  to  bloom  in  December.  Other 
bulbs  may  be  used  for  window  boxes  in  the  home  or 
schoolroom  and  children  can  easily  take  care  of  them. 
Chinese  lily  bulbs  grow  when  embedded  in  a  dish  of  peb- 
bles and  well  supplied  with  water.  The  gathering  of 
smooth,  pretty  pebbles  is  an  occupation  dear  to  every 

66 


LITTLE  FARMERS 

child,  and  here  is  an  instance  where  they  may  be  used 
to  good  purpose. 

Talk  with  the  child  about  the  different  ages  of  plants. 
Vegetables  must  be  planted  every  spring  and  also  many 
kinds  of  flowers.  These  are  called  annuals.  There  are, 
however,  some  flowering  plants  which  live  over  another 
year  which  are  called  biennials,  such  as  Canterbury  bells 
and  foxglove.  Those  which  live  on  for  a  number  of  years 
are  called  perennials,  for  example,  the  sweet  William 
and  golden  glow. 

The  child's  interest  may  be  very  much  increased  by 
telling  him  stories  about  plants,  gardens,  and  what  the 
farmers  do.  More  walks  to  the  woods  or  visits  to  a  farm 
will  encourage  him  to  go  back  to  his  own  tasks.  xVU 
children  play  with  a  great  deal  of  earnestness,  so  why 
not  direct  their  play  to  the  making  of  a  garden?  With 
their  little  implements,  such  as  spades,  hoes,  and  rakes, 
they  will  play  and  work  at  the  same  time.  Let  the 
children  make  a  game  out  of  the  weed  pulling.  The 
flowers  can  be  lovely  little  fairies  coming  to  see  them,  so 
they  nurture  them,  but  the  weeds  are  the  wicked  fairies 
and  are  most  undesirable.  The  boys  might  call  them 
pirates  who  come  to  steal  the  riches  of  the  sweet  flower 
children. 

In  the  experience  of  gardening  the  child  learns  the 
needs  of  the  plants  and  this  knowledge  in  turn  he  will 
apply  to  himself.  It  implants  that  love  and  appreciation 
for  Nature  which  otherwise  might  die.  It  teaches  the 
child  to  be  patient,  loving,  and  kind.  The  care  which 
is  needed  to  keep  his  garden  neat  and  help  plants  to 
grow  makes  him  realize  the  tremendous  amount  of  care 

67 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

tlie  farmers  are  compelled  to  exert  in  order  that  the 
world  may  have  food.  Emerson  says :  "The  farmer  repre- 
sents the  necessities  of  life.  He  bends  to  the  order  of  the 
seasons,  the  weather,  the  soil,  and  the  crops  as  the  sails 
of  the  ships  bend  to  the  winds." 

Once  a  child  begins  a  garden  do  not  let  him  neglect  it. 
Let  him  know  the  harvest  is  coming,  the  gathering  of 
fruits  and  vegetables  or  collecting  seeds  of  flowers.  En- 
courage community  spirit  among  the  little  friends.  If 
groups  of  children  are  working  gardens  it  is  desirable 
to  have  an  exhibit.  Rew^ards  of  a  simple  nature,  such 
as  new  seeds  or  a  new  garden  tool,  might  be  offered  as 
an  incentive.  To  the  older  child  comes  the  desire  to  sell 
goods.  Neighbors  and  friends  are  always  interested  to 
see  enthusiasm  and  are  glad  to  encourage  honest  work. 
Traveling  along  in  automobiles  on  the  coimtry  roads, 
one  is  always  delighted  to  find  fresh  vegetables  and  ber- 
ries. The  experience  of  "keeping  store'"  gives  children 
an  insight  into  business  methods  and  a  sense  of  respon- 
sibility. It  goes  still  further  in  its  effect  upon  those  about 
them  in  the  family  and  community.  An  interest  and 
cooperation  are  aroused  as  well  as  means  of  support.  It 
creates  an  interest  in  the  appearance  of  the  front  lawn 
and  back  yard,  and,  best  of  all,  the  child  is  brought  to 
realize  that  all  of  the  best  and  greatest  things  in  life  are 
obtained  only  by  constant  toil,  effort,  and  care. 

SCHOOL  GARDENS 

By  Jeannette  Stephenson 

Over  two  hundred  years  ago  Comenius,  a  noted  edu- 
cator, said:  "A  garden  should  be  connected  with  every 


LITTLE  FARMERS 

school,  where  children  can  at  times  gaze  upon  trees, 
flowers,  and  herbs,  and  be  taught  to  enjoy  them." 

And  to-day  educators  are  coming  to  realize  that  the 
garden  is  an  important  part  of  the  school  curriculum. 

If  a  garden  is  to  be  of  the  greatest  possible  benefit  to 
the  children,  work  on  it  should  begin  in  September. 

In  a  school  of  thirty-six  children,  from  six  to  eight 
years  of  age,  the  following  plan  in  regard  to  the  mak- 
ing of  the  school  garden  was  carried  out:  A  strip  of 
land  2  feet  deep  was  divided  into  eighteen  little  beds, 
each  4  feet  broad;  here  vegetables  were  to  be  planted. 
Another  strip  of  land  4J  feet  deep  was  divided  into 
eighteen  beds,  each  3  feet  broad,  and  this  part  was  for 
the  flowers. 

The  borders  of  these  beds  were  made  of  small  stones 
collected  by  the  children.  Then  the  beds  were  allotted, 
two  children  getting  a  flower  and  a  vegetable  garden 
between  them  for  a  year.  And  then  the  actual  work  be- 
gan. The  soil  was  prepared  and  bulbs  were  planted 
for  the  spring  flowering. 

During  the  winter  a  garden  plan  was  made.  This  con- 
sisted of  a  drawing  of  the  garden,  which  gave  the  exact 
location  of  all  the  vegetables  and  flowers  and  indicated 
the  date  on  which  they  were  to  be  sown.  Then  the  plant- 
ing was  so  arranged  that  the  ground  would  be  occupied 
by  successive  crops  all  through  the  growing  season. 

In  making  this  plan  the  children  became  familiar  with 
seed  catalogues.  They  were  very  much  interested  in 
looking  at  the  pictures  of  the  flowers  and  vegetables 
which  they  were  to  plant  in  their  gardens. 

Let  us  consider  some  of  the  ways  in  which  the  garden 
69 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

may  be  directly  connected  with  the  subjects  taken  up 
in  the  curriculum. 

What  does  the  wind  do  for  the  garden?  The  wind 
helps  to  sow  the  seeds,  and  it  blows  the  leaves  over  the 
roots  of  the  flowers  and  so  helps  to  keep  them  warm  in 
the  winter- time. 

What  does  the  rain  do?  It  helps  the  plants  to  grow, 
and  washes  the  dust  from  their  leaves. 

And  the  children  will  be  very  much  interested  to 
know  that  the  birds  help  in  the  work  of  their  garden  by 
eating  the  little  insects  which  would  ruin  the  flowers  and 
vegetables. 

Then  we  may  explain  to  the  children  that  the  welfare 
of  the  garden  depends  very  much  upon  the  earthworm. 
Recently  I  read  of  a  child  who  was  so  afraid  of  these 
little  creatures  that  the  joy  of  caring  for  her  garden  was 
spoiled.  One  day  the  teacher  told  her  how  much  the 
earthworm  did  for  the  flowers  and  vegetables.  The  next 
morning  this  child  was  observed  trudging  back  and 
forth  between  her  garden  and  a  piece  of  ploughed  land. 
Each  time  that  she  came  back  she  was  seen  to  put 
something  on  the  ground.  WTien  she  came  into  the 
schoolroom  the  teacher  asked  her  what  she  had  been 
doing,  and  her  reply  was,  "Oh,  I  have  been  putting  a 
lot  of  earthworms  in  my  garden  so  that  the  flowers 
and  vegetables  will  grow  well." 

Naturally  we  ask,  '*  What  does  the  child  gain  from  his 
work  in  the  garden?"  He  gains  health  and  happiness, 
and  "each  hour  spent  in  work  in  the  garden  means  the 
opening  of  a  fresh  door  for  the  child  in  the  realms  of 
science.  Neither  will  this  close  the  doors  of  art  and  lit- 

70 


LITTLE  FARMERS 

erature  to  him.  Nature  is  still  the  great  artist  and  the 
great  poet.  We  have  often  made  a  dreary  workshop  of 
school  for  the  children;  let  us  now  make  it  a  beautiful 
place  for  them  by  connecting  it  with  the  wonderful  hfe 
of  nature." 


VI 
VALUE  OF  PETS 

The  love  of  animals  is  inborn.   The  child  that  has  no  pets  is  to  be 
pitied.   (G.  Stanley  Hall.) 

PARENTS  have  their  children  upon  whom  to  lavish 
their  love  and  care;  the  children  with  this  same 
nature  instinct  long  for  something  other  than  toys, 
something  that  is  alive,  something  that  depends  upon 
them  for  care.  Therefore  it  is  true  that  few  boys  or  girls 
are  really  happy  without  a  pet.  Animals  are  far  more 
sympathetic  than  toys  that  cannot  move  and  have  no 
life.  Even  if  it  is  only  a  mongrel  puppy,  a  lonely  mud 
turtle,  or  scraggly  fowl,  the  young  owner  thinks  it  is  the 
most  beautiful,  intelligent,  and  affectionate  creature  in 
the  world  and  loves  it  with  his  whole  heart  and  soul. 
The  baby  wants  to  put  his  hand  on  the  kitty's  fur, 
stroke  the  dog's  head,  or  pat  the  horse's  nose.  Even 
the  rough  child  has  in  his  make-up  the  love  for  animals. 
This  love  should  be  fostered,  for  if  it  is  not  cultivated, 
a  great  opportunity  is  lost  and  may  never  be  regained. 
The  child  may  develop  the  other  side  of  his  nature  and 
so  become  very  unkind  and  cruel.  It  was  Cowper  who 
said,  "I  would  not  enter  on  my  list  of  friends  (though 
graced  with  polished  manners  and  fine  sense,  yet  want- 
ing sensibility)  the  man  who  needlessly  sets  foot  upon  a 
worm." 

When  your  child  wants  a  pet  and  you  refuse  him  the 
privilege,  you  are  doing  him  a  great  injustice.  Perhaps 

72 


VALUE  OF  PETS 

if  you  realized  the  value  of  it  all,  you  would  think  twice 
before  deciding  in  the  negative.  It  is  instinctive  for  chil- 
dren to  want  pets  to  care  for,  and  this  companionship 
with  animals  helps  them  to  be  more  gentle,  considerate, 
and  kind.  It  also  teaches  them  a  great  deal  about  nature 
and  natural  history.  No  boy  or  girl,  however,  should 
have  a  pet  if  he  or  she  is  not  willing  to  give  it  the  in- 
telligent care  it  needs  and  that  it  is  entitled  to  have. 

Birds  must  be  fed  regularly,  the  dog  must  be  washed 
and  kept  in  the  house  until  thoroughly  dried.  If  the 
kitten  is  stupid  and  dull,  its  little  owner  must  see  that 
its  food  is  more  carefully  selected,  that  it  does  not  have 
too  much  meat.  Perhaps  the  kitty  needs  some  catnip 
and  pennies  must  be  saved  to  buy  this  treat  for  the  little 
pet.  The  playful  puppy  must  be  trained  carefully  not 
to  run  into  the  flower  beds  or  be  destructive  with  toys, 
shoes,  or  clothing. 

Pets  have  another  value  in  that  their  need  of  exercise 
calls  forth  the  same  activity  from  their  little  master. 
It  gives  an  object  of  interest  to  take  the  listless  girl  or 
the  absorbing  bookworm  boy  out  into  the  fresh  air  and 
sunshine.  Through  protection,  nurture,  and  ownership 
of  living  things,  responsibilities  are  best  presented. 

To  keep  and  care  for  living  things  is  most  interesting 
and  instructive  and,  if  properly  done,  will  prove  a  source 
of  profit  as  well  as  of  pleasure.  But  all  too  frequently 
pets  are  neglected  or  suffer  greatly  through  ignorance 
of  their  wants  or  through  the  lack  of  proper  preparation 
for  their  needs.  Many  pets  are  acquired  accidentally; 
a  wounded  bird,  a  helpless  nestling,  or  a  stray  cat  or  dog 
is  found  and  carried  home.  No  provision  has  been  made 

73 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

for  this  unexpected  addition  to  the  household  and  the 
pet  is  placed  in  some  empty  cage  or  box.  It  is  fed  on 
anything  and  everything  it  will  devour.  Through  over- 
feeding, improper  shelter,  too  much  handling,  or  lack 
of  its  natural  food,  the  poor  creature  dies,  and  no  knowl- 
edge of  its  wants  or  its  proper  care  has  been  gained  by  the 
unfortunate  experience.  Before  keeping  any  variety  of 
pets  one  should  study  the  requirements  and  the  peculiar- 
ities of  the  various  kinds;  for  only  with  knowledge  can 
one  judge  intelligently  of  the  best  pet  to  adopt. 

The  kind  of  pet  one  decides  to  keep  should  depend 
very  largely  upon  one's  location,  surroundings,  tastes, 
and  the  purpose  for  which  one  intends  to  keep  it.  The 
city  child  must  necessarily  have  animals  and  birds  that 
have  been  bred  for  centuries  in  confinement,  such  as 
rabbits,  small  dogs,  cage  birds,  cats,  and  goldfish.  The 
child  in  the  country  is  most  fortunate,  with  the  stable 
and  farmyard  containing  domesticated  animals  which 
he  can  watch  grow,  feed,  and  pet.  What  joy  when  the 
family  of  kittens  appear  from  the  haymow  or  the  brood 
of  downy  chickens  gather  around  the  proud  hen.  How 
true  is  the  story  of  *'Mary  and  her  little  lamb  that  fol- 
lowed her  to  school  one  day,"  when  we  talk  with  a  little 
girl  who  really  has  a  pet  lambkin !  There  are  the  after- 
noon chores  at  the  farm  that  no  child  should  lose  from 
his  education.  Go  with  the  family  dog  to  the  pasture, 
calling  the  cows.  Perhaps  the  horse  and  her  colt  must 
be  led  to  the  stable,  and  then  what  fun  to  gather  the 
fresh  eggs  from  the  henhouse!  All  farmyard  animals 
and  fowls  soon  learn  to  know  who  is  caring  for  them  and 
who  is  kind  and  gentle,  so  the  child  will  want  to  be  the 

74 


VALUE  OF  PETS 

favored  one.  Give  him  all  opportunity  possible  and  he 
will  take  pride  in  whatever  responsibilities  are  bestowed 
upon  him. 

Some  animals  and  birds  can  be  more  easily  made  pets 
of  than  others.  Some  can  be  more  fondled  than  others. 
Few  species  of  birds  will  survive  handling  and  usually 
have  strong  objections  to  being  touched.  Crows,  jays, 
parrots,  doves,  however,  bear  a  great  deal  and  exhibit 
a  large  amount  of  affection  for  their  owners.  Such  birds 
are  very  intelligent  and  are  easily  taught  many  tricks. 
Dogs,  cats,  guinea  pigs,  white  rats,  and  many  other 
creatures  may  be  handled  as  much  as  one  wishes  with- 
out any  apparent  injury.  Rabbits,  however,  though 
used  frequently  as  real  pets,  do  not  thrive  well  if  handled 
too  much.  Fish,  turtles,  and  lizards  make  splendid  pets 
and  often  show  intelligence  and  affection. 

We  must  not  forget  the  mascots  which  have  shown 
so  much  loyalty  and  service  to  their  human  comrades, 
such  as  the  dogs,  goats,  cats,  monkeys,  who  remain 
close  to  the  crew  of  the  ship  on  which  they  sail  or  the 
company  of  soldiers  whether  in  camp,  on  the  march,  or 
in  active  battle. 

Many  a  dog  has  carried  a  pouch  of  water  to  a  faint- 
ing soldier  or  led  the  way  for  his  rescue.  The  carrier 
pigeons  have  loyally  flown  on  their  trained  course  carry- 
ing a  message  which  was  tied  to  their  legs  and  thereby 
saved  many  a  life.  Because  of  their  alertness  they  can 
cover  the  ground  under  the  heaviest  shell  fire  and  pass 
from  one  camp  to  another.  In  the  great  World  War  they 
were  trained  to  give  a  warning  whenever  they  scented 
the  poisonous  gas  or  heard  the  enemy  creeping  up. 

75 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

A  large  part  of  children's  literature  deals  with  sto- 
ries of  animal  life.  The  old  Jataka  tales,  fables, 
fairy  stories,  Mother  Goose  jingles,  modern  stories 
and  poems,  not  only  portray  animal  life,  but  put  words 
of  real  moral  worth  into  the  mouths  of  these  dumb 
creatures.  The  newspapers  of  to-day  realize  the  great 
value  of  stories  of  this  type  for  children,  for  in  most 
daily  papers  one  can  find  "Bed-Time  Stories"  in  the 
Children's  Column  dealing  with  animal  experiences. 
Stories  of  the  animal  world  may  be  found  in  Volume  I 
of  this  series. 

It  has  been  said  that  much  can  be  learned  about 
animals  by  visiting  and  studying  in  museums  and  zo- 
ological gardens,  but  for  real  education  in  responsibihty 
and  devotion  no  child  can  appreciate  the  true  meaning 
imless  he  has  a  pet  of  his  own.  A  child  who  has  been 
brought  up  with  a  pet  learns  to  look  out  for  and  care 
for  animals,  and  for  all  things  weaker  than  himself  that 
need  care  and  protection.  Because  of  his  great  affection 
for  his  own  pet  his  own  life  is  enriched,  and  he  comes  to 
realize  the  true  meaning  of  service,  devotion,  and  sac- 
rifice. 

"I  had  a  little  kitty 
And  Lassie  was  her  name; 
I  raised  my  hand  to  shake  'how-d-do,* 
And  she  would  do  the  same." 


vn 

THE  LITTLE  HOUSEKEEPER 

OH,  Mother,  let  me  help  too."  How  often  we  hear 
this  request  from  a  child  and  how  frequently  we 
find  it  is  ignored  or  refused.  The  child's  petition  is 
prompted  by  an  earnest  desire  both  to  help  and  to  ex- 
periment with  materials  or  processes.  It  is,  therefore, 
important  that  we  should  allow  the  child  to  share  in  the 
work  of  the  household.  If  we  encourage  his  instinctive 
interest  in  its  earliest  beginnings,  we  shall  give  the  child 
a  chance  to  learn  much  that  is  valuable  to  him  and  at 
the  same  time  develop  in  him  a  helpful  and  thoughtful 
nature.  The  mother  who  allows  her  child  to  satisfy 
his  wish  to  help  in  household  tasks,  not  only  makes  her 
child's  life  happier  and  more  interesting,  but  makes 
her  own  routine  work  lighter  and  more  enjoyable. 

All  of  this  sounds  very  serious,  as  if  the  child  were  to 
be  given  a  burden  to  bear  and  the  mother  an  irksome 
lesson  to  impart.  In  reality  it  is  all  a  very  happy  and 
simple  feature  of  home  life.  When  your  child  asks  to 
help,  greet  him  enthusiastically  and  make  a  game  of  the 
work  to  be  done.  An  appeal  to  his  natural  love  of  play, 
his  spirit  of  competition,  his  pride  in  achievement  will 
show  him  the  true  joy  of  work.  Children  should  learn 
through  play  to  perform  useful  tasks.  We  all  know  that 
the  little  girl  enjoys  helping  Mother  with  her  house- 
hold duties  and  if  the  spirit  of  play  can  be  brought 

77 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

to  the  performance  of  these  duties  they  are  doubly  in- 
teresting. 

All  small  children  like  to  play  keeping  house  and  de- 
light in  washing  and  keeping  clean  the  various  things 
connected  with  their  play.  One  of  the  best  helps  in 
training  your  child  to  enjoy  domestic  duties  is  through 
dolls.  Every  little  girl  should  have  her  family  of  dolls 
and  care  for  them.  With  the  dolls  should  go  the  small 
stove,  the  little  washtub,  board,  and  iron,  and  the  toy 
furniture  and  dishes.  Let  the  child  have  a  room  of  her 
own  or  else  a  portion  of  the  room  in  which  you  are  busy 
which  she  may  call  her  own.  Through  these  play  ma- 
terials the  child  can  really  begin  to  cook,  wash,  and 
iron,  and  care  for  her  dolls.  As  she  grows  older  and  more 
competent  with  her  doll  play  she  will  wish  to  enter  into 
the  experiences  of  the  same  duties  in  the  home. 

Do  you  know  that  your  little  boy  can  be  interested 
enough  to  help  you  build  the  kitchen  fire  in  the  morning? 
Ask  him  to  bring  you  an  old  newspaper  and  explain  to 
him  why  paper  is  necessary  to  build  a  fire.  Tell  him 
that  if  he  will  bring  you  some  wood  from  the  woodshed 
you  will  tell  him  some  interesting  things  about  it,  for 
instance,  about  the  forests  of  California  where  there 
are  great  trees  large  enough  in  which  to  live.  Explain 
how  we  use  the  wood  for  making  a  fire  that  is  not  hard 
enough  or  big  enough  to  build  houses.  Show  him  how 
to  lay  the  fire,  using  paper,  kindling,  or  small  pieces  of 
soft  wood  to  start  the  blaze  and  follow  with  larger  wood 
to  hold  the  fire.  Another  time  ask  him  to  bring  some  coal, 
telling  about  the  miners  who  go  down  into  big  holes  in 
the  ground  and  find  all  this  black  coal  which  was  once 

78 


THE  LITTLE  HOUSEKEEPER 

wood.  Explain  how  through  years  and  years  the  wood 
from  trees  had  become  buried  and  in  due  time  had  hard- 
ened. Pictures  of  mines  and  miners  will  make  the  story 
more  vivid  to  him,  and  he  will  better  appreciate  that 
there  is  much  to  be  considered  before  the  coal  is  drawn 
up  to  the  home  in  carts.  Keep  him  so  intent  upon  your 
interesting  facts  that  he  will  be  eager  to  help  you  and 
still  want  to  hear  more.  He  will  see  how  careful  you  have 
to  be  to  get  a  fire  started  and  what  a  difference  it  makes 
in  the  warmth  of  the  room.  He  will  soon  acquire  the 
habit  of  helping  you  with  the  fire  and  in  time  will  be 
able  to  build  it  himself. 

So  often  children  perform  their  tasks  quite  well,  but 
their  faces  show  what  is  going  on  in  their  minds.  The 
eyes  are  dull,  the  mouth  droops  a  httle  or  is  disfigured 
by  that  bugbear  to  all  mothers,  a  pout.  There  is  no 
happy  childish  smile.  Mother  can  many  times  avoid  all 
this  by  a  little  wise  planning.  Help  the  child  to  find  some 
joy  in  his  task.  Make  him  feel  his  responsibility  in  its 
accomplishment  and,  too,  his  responsibility  in  being 
cheerful.  A  helpful,  right  example  is  the  best  aid  for 
children;  let  them  follow  your  lead.  Often  a  Uttle  verse 
repeated  makes  suggestions  more  effective  than  many 
sermons,  and  for  the  little  child  who  lags  and  waits  to 
be  asked  to  help,  the  following  speaks  for  itself: 

"Are  your  eyes  bright  to-day, 
Or  will  mother  have  to  say, 
'Please  do  this,'  or,  'Please  do  that'? 

"  Can  you  do  some  little  task 
Before  yom*  mother  has  to  ask, 
'Please  do  this,'  or,  'Please  do  that'?  " 
79 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

If  there  are  several  children  in  the  family  one  might 
call  them  soldiers  and  the  house  a  camp.  One  child 
could  be  the  captain  of  the  company  for  a  week.  Each 
child  would  have  certain  duties  to  perform  and  these 
duties  could  be  written  on  a  bulletin  board.  Duties 
could  be  assigned  at  the  breakfast  table.  There  should 
be  a  daily  inspection  of  each  room,  and  of  course  all 
true  soldiers  must  carefully  and  truthfully  attend  to  all 
duties.  At  the  close  of  day  have  a  flag  lowering  and 
perhaps  some  songs.  Try  to  instill  the  feeling  that  just 
as  our  soldiers  fought  for  the  good  of  our  country  and 
fought  because  they  were  willing  to,  the  children  must 
willingly  and  cheerfully  perform  their  duties  for  the 
home  and  mother.  Try  to  make  them  feel  that  no 
matter  how  small  their  task  may  seem,  it  is  a  great  help, 
and  only  as  each  part  is  done  and  done  well  is  the  whole 
home  a  place  of  law,  order,  and  happiness. 

As  morning  dawns  the  first  duties  which  await  us  are 

in  our  own  bedrooms.  Morning  is  a  joyous  time;  we 

should  wake  up  happy,  rested  from  a  night  of  sleep 

with  a  heart  full  of  hope  and  these  words  on  our  lips: 

"  Every  day  is  a  fresh  beginning. 
Every  day  is  the  world  made  new." 

Take  a  little  time  at  night  to  talk  over  going  to  bed. 
There  are  ever  so  many  kinds  of  beds.  There  are  beds 
out  of  doors  as  well  as  in  the  house.  Have  you  ever 
thought  that  flowers  are  used  for  beds?  There  are  many 
tiny  insects  that  find  safe,  cozy  places  to  sleep  in  among 
the  petals  of  a  rose  or  a  lily. 

"There 's  never  a  leaf  or  a  blade  too  mean 
To  be  some  happy  creature's  palace." 
80 


THE  LITTLE  HOUSEKEEPER 

Did  you  know  that  Nature  teaches  the  animals  to  make 
their  beds?  She  tells  the  birds  to  choose  soft  things  for 
their  nests  and  to  have  a  warm  place  for  their  tiny  eggs. 
The  squirrels  find  a  cozy  place  in  the  hollow  of  a  tree, 
and  the  bears  and  other  wild  animals  find  caves  and 
holes  in  the  ground  in  which  to  sleep.  Stories  and  songs 
may  be  found  in  other  volumes  of  this  series  which  relate 
to  this  subject.  Now  it  is  time  for  children  to  get  ready 
for  bed.  A  game,  which  has  been  used  successfully,  may 
be  played  when  undressing.  A  heavy  cord  or  even  a 
twine  doubled,  stretched  from  a  closet  doorknob  to  a 
window  sill,  makes  a  fine  clothesline.  As  the  children 
hang  up  their  clothes  in  an  orderly  manner,  they  play 
they  are  hanging  out  the  washing.  The  doll's  clothes 
are  hung  up,  too,  using  the  tiny  clothespins  which  can  be 
purchased  at  the  five  and  ten  cent  stores.  This  trans- 
forms a  duty  and  sometimes  an  irksome  task  into  play. 
This  play  is  the  foundation  of  a  habit  which  should  be- 
long to  every  person  who  is  neat  and  orderly. 

The  first  morning  habit  should  be  to  open  the  bed  in 
an  orderly  fashion.  Thoughtlessness  on  the  part  of  the 
child  often  discourages  Mother  until  her  note  becomes 
one  of  nagging,  which  is  annoying  to  all.  A  few  instruc- 
tions in  rhyme  may  make  the  task  more  pleasurable. 

"In  the  morning  when  I  get  up 
There  are  several  things  to  do; 
The  sheets  go  back  to  get  fresh  air; 
Pillows  are  shaken,  a  nice  soft  pair; 
My  windows  are  opened  everywhere 
In  the  morning  when  I  get  up.'* 

Bed-making  is  an  art  in  itself.  The  child,  however,  can 
early  in  life  help  and  learn  simple  rules  of  making  a  bed. 

81 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

A  soft  pad  is  often  placed  first  on  the  bed.  Put  the  first 
sheet  on  with  the  wide  hem  at  the  top  and  right  side  up; 
put  on  the  second  sheet  with  the  wide  hem  at  the  top, 
but  wrong  side  up,  which  brings  the  two  right  sides  to- 
gether. The  blankets  go  on  next,  then  perhaps  a  quilt, 
and  finally  the  clean  white  spread  on  top.  Tuck  the 
sheets  and  blankets  in  carefully  at  the  corners  so  the 
bed  will  be  square.  Draw  them  tightly  at  the  sides  to 
make  the  bed  smooth.  In  placing  the  pillows  on  the 
bed,  the  closed  end  of  the  pillow  cases  should  meet  in 
the  center. 

With  a  little  girl  standing  on  the  other  side  of  the  bed 
Mother  can  teach  her  in  verse,  and  then  every  time  the 
beds  are  made  the  duty  will  be  a  play,  saying: 

"Pull  the  bottom  sheet  so  tight. 
Tuck  the  blankets  in  just  right. 
Puff  the  pillow,  smooth  the  spread! 
Helping  Mother  make  the  bed." 

Breakfast  over,  the  dishes  must  be  cleared  from  the 
table  and  washed.  How  many  hours  a  mother  spends  in 
a  day  washing  dishes !  Why  not  all  help  and  remember 
the  motto,  "Many  hands  make  hght  work  *'?  I  think  a 
Httle  girl  would  be  happy  to  say  this: 

"Will  good  fairies  grant  my  wishes 
If  with  care  I  wash  the  dishes? 
Bring  Mother's  smile  so  sweet  and  bright 
And  this  will  make  my  task  seem  light.'* 

Here  is  something  else  to  say  while  washing: 

"Work  and  play  go  hand  in  hand. 
All  oiu-  duties  must  be  planned. 
Washing  dishes  is  lots  of  fun. 
The  sooner  started  the  sooner  done." 

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THE  LITTLE  HOUSEKEEPER 

Why  not  make  the  dish-washing  a  game?  First  of  all, 
look  at  the  rainbows  in  the  dishpan.  The  bubbles  in  the 
soapsuds  are  full  of  lovely  colors.  There  are  really  six 
of  them,  but  it  is  hard  to  tell  one  from  the  other  as  they 
blend  in  together.  See  the  red,  orange,  yellow,  green, 
blue,  and  violet.  So  each  tiny  bubble  in  the  dishpan  has 
a  rainbow  of  its  own.  Perhaps  we  can  blow  soap  bubbles 
after  the  dishes  are  washed : 

"  Now  we  will  wash  the  dishes. 
The  glasses  and  silver  so  fine. 
Next  the  pitchers,  the  cups,  and  the  saucers; 
Remember  that  each  time. 

"Then  come  the  plates  and  the  platters. 
Use  plenty  of  soap,  don't  forget! 
We  '11  wash  them  all  over  so  carefully 
And  then  on  the  shelves  shall  they  set." 

Tell  the  children  how  soap  and  grease  do  not  like  each 
other;  when  one  comes  in  the  other  goes  out.  This  en- 
courages thorough  washing. 

It  is  time  now  for  the  house  to  be  put  in  order.  There 
is  sweeping  and  dusting  to  be  done,  and  the  little  helper 
can  get  up  and  down  so  easily  that  Mother  should  find 
much  for  little  hands  to  do.  While  working  there  are 
interesting  stories  to  tell  and  songs  to  sing  so  that  there 
is  no  thought  of  drudgery.  (See  Volumes  I  and  V.)  It 
is  also  fun  to  recite  simple  rhymes  and  couplets  while 
working,  and  the  child  would  like  to  say  them  too : 

"  I  will  sweep  the  floor. 
Make  it  very  clean; 
Sweep  behind  the  door 
Till  not  a  speck  is  seen." 
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CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

Give  the  child  a  small  light  broom  and  tell  her  that  now 

we  shall  see  the  dust  elves  go  flying  out  of  the  window. 

Children  take  great  delight  in  personifying  inanimate 

objects,  so  we  can  call  this  "Miss  Broom": 

"Oh,  how  useful  is  Miss  Broom, 
Brushing  corners  in  each  room. 
Under  tables  and  each  chair. 
Raise  no  dust,  but  sweep  with  care.** 

Instruction  is  more  graciously  accepted  through  verse, 

stories,  songs,  and  games,  and  unconsciously  the  child 

will  act  out  the  words  he  is  saying.  To  a  simple  rhythm 

of  music  one  could  hum  these  words,  sweeping  to  the 

tune: 

"The  dust  fairies  are  sleeping,  sleeping,  sleeping. 
The  dust  fairies  are  sleeping  all  through  the  house. 

"The  great  big  broom  comes  sweeping,  sweeping,  sweeping, 
The  great  big  broom  comes  sweeping  all  through  the  house. 

"Then  the  dust  fairies  go  flying,  flying,  flying. 
The  dust  fairies  go  flying  out  of  the  house." 

While  the  dust  is  settling  the  little  girl  may  be  given 
a  piece  of  cheesecloth  to  make  into  a  duster.  Take  a 
bright-colored  piece  of  worsted  to  work  into  the  two 
ends.  The  song,  "Sweeping  and  Dusting,  '*  on  page  106 
of  Volume  V  can  be  sung  at  this  time.  Here 's  a  good 
verse  to  say,  too : 

"  Sweep  and  dust,  sweep  and  dust. 
Make  everything  neat  and  clean; 
Scour  and  polish,  scour  and  polish. 
No  spot  of  dirt  must  be  seen. " 

The  child  is  rested  from  sweeping  and,  with  her  dust 
doth,  she  will  think  it  fun  to  think  she  is  making  the 

84 


THE  LITTLE  HOUSEKEEPER 

dust  elves  and  fairies  go  dancing  out  of  the  window.  K 
several  children  are  helping  in  the  process  they  could 
sing  to  the  music  on  page  124,  Volume  V,  and  play  the 
game,  singing: 

"Round  we  go,  round  we  go. 
One  little  child  is  dusting  so. 

"Round  we  go,  round  we  go. 
Two  little  children  dusting  so,"  etc. 

Repeat  the  words,  adding  one  more  child  each  time  it  is 
sung  until  all  are  accounted  for.  The  dust  will  surely  fly 
while  work  and  happiness  will  go  hand  in  hand. 

Washing  and  ironing  always  come  into  the  play  of  a 
little  girl  with  her  doll.  There  seems  to  be  a  fascination 
in  putting  one's  hands  in  water  and  splashing.  Every 
one's  clothes  are  washed  and  of  course  the  doll  or  Teddy 
bear  must  have  clean  clothes,  too.  Right  instruction  and 
proper  implements  must  be  given  at  the  start,  remember- 
ing all  the  time  that  it  is  a  form  of  play  to  the  child.  A 
finger  play  found  in  the  first  chapter  of  this  book  drama- 
tizes with  the  fingers  the  process  of  washing  and  drying 
clothes.  No  matter  what  the  age  of  the  child,  a  recrea- 
tional play  like  this  is  always  enjoyed.  Other  verses 
describe  the  work  as  well  as  give  instruction : 

/  "Rub-a-dub-dub, 

Rub-a-dub-dub, 

All  the  doll's  clothes  are  here  in  my  tub. 
Soap  them  and  scrub  them. 
And  rinse  them  with  care. 
Hang  them  all  up  in  bright  sunshine  and  air." 

"Scrub,  scrub,  scrub. 
Now  't  is  scrubbing  day; 
85 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

Till  the  clothes  are  clean  and  white 
»  You  must  scrub  away. 

"Rinse,  rinse,  rinse. 
All  the  clothes  must  be 
From  the  soapy  water  now 
Rinsed  so  carefully. 

"  Wring,  wring,  ■^Ting; 
Wring  them  out  so  dry. 
See,  the  clothes  are  ready  now. 
Hang  them  out  so  high." 

With  the  iron  and  board  the  little  girl  stands  beside 
Mother  to  do  her  ironing.  She  must  learn  the  need  of 
a  hot  iron  and  also  how  to  use  it.  This  takes  time 
and  patience,  but  it  is  laying  the  foundation  for  future 
much-needed  assistance: 

"We  sing  as  we  iron  our  clothes  to-day 
Because  we  are  smoothing  the  wrinkles  away." 

Nearly  all  children  like  to  cook,  but  if  they  can  be 
given  a  definite  object  toward  which  to  work,  it  adds 
interest  and  a  feeling  of  pride  in  the  thing  accomplished. 
For  example,  a  child  might  be  told  that  when  she  had 
learned  to  cook  a  certain  dish  well  she  could  invite  some 
of  her  little  friends  in  and  have  a  party.  Thus  the  child 
is  given  three  important  ideas:  doing  a  useful  thing, 
doing  a  thing  well,  and  the  idea  of  hospitahty. 

In  making  bread  the  mother  often  should  give  her 
child  a  piece  of  dough  to  shape  and  to  mould.  Give 
directions  to  imitate  what  you  are  doing,  and  finally  put 
in  a  pan  and  bake: 

"We  roll  our  dough 
To  make  the  bread, 
86 


THE  LITTLE  HOUSEKEEPER 

For  little  children 
Must  be  fed." 

Cookies  may  be  rolled  out  into  many  shapes  to  the 
delight  of  all  children.  Let  them  suggest  and  make 
shapes  to  illustrate  their  story  of  the  Gingerbread  Doll. 
Decorate  the  cookies  with  eyes,  nose,  mouth,  and  but- 
tons of  white  frosting.  It  is  not  every  time  you  are 
cooking  that  the  child  wants  to  cook,  therefore  occa- 
sionally, especially  when  the  desire  comes,  take  the 
time  to  give  instruction.  Boys  or  girls  will  enjoy  beating 
the  eggs  or  stirring  up  the  cake.  Let  them  butter  pans 
and  make  small  ones  for  themselves.  Let  them  watch 
the  baking,  saying: 

"Let  us  bake 
A  little  cake; 
When  it's  done 
We'll  have  some." 

To  the  using  of  the  egg-beater  a  rhyme  is  said: 

"  Whirr  —  whirr  —  whirr  — 
Round  and  round  we  go. 
Turn  the  handle  fast  and  steady 
Till  the  fluffy  whites  are  ready. 
W  hirr  —  whirr  —  whirr." 

Getting  the  vegetables  ready  for  dinner  is  something 
every  child  can  help  in  doing.  He  may  go  to  the  pantry 
or  cellar  to  get  them,  and  if  peas  are  to  be  prepared  he 
can  shell  them.  He  can  learn  to  string  the  string  beans, 
he  can  wash  the  potatoes,  beets,  turnips,  and  as  the 
fingers  become  stronger  and  discretion  used,  the  use  of 
the  knife  in  paring  can  be  allowed.  Much  amusement 
comes  with  this  work,  as  the  pea  pod  can  be  made  into 

87 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

a  boat  and  sail  in  a  pan  while  other  interesting  things  can 
be  done  as  is  suggested  in  Chapter  VI  of  this  book. 

The  many  steps  taken  in  setting  and  clearing  away 
the  dinner  table  are  those  which  can  be  taken  by  quite 
young  children.  Let  Mother  sit  still  while  real  play  is 
being  enjoyed  by  either  the  girl  or  boy.  If  there  are 
several  children  in  the  family,  taking  turns  is  the  best 
way.  Records  may  be  kept  to  see  who  has  improved  in 
learning  the  art  and  general  etiquette.  Counting  up  the 
record  gives  a  chance  for  a  kittle  arithmetic.  Once  more 
the  instruction  can  be  given  in  rhyme,  and  the  repeat- 
ing of  it  each  time  the  table  is  set  drills  the  first  princi- 
ples of  table  appointments: 

"Fork  on  left  and  knife  on  right. 
On  the  snowy  table  white; 
Spoons  next  to  knife  in  a  row. 
While  next  to  fork  the  napkin  goes." 

"The  fork  at  the  left,  the  knife  at  the  right. 
Place  spoon  by  the  knife  with  fingers  light. 
The  tumbler  we  take  to  the  table  with  care 
And  place  at  the  right  so  carefully  there. 
Then  at  the  left  'bove  the  fork  we  see 
A  place  for  the  butter  plate  plain  as  can  be. 
Now  count  up  the  family,  a  place  for  each  one; 
Is  n't  setting  the  table  the  very  best  fun?  " 

A  comradeship  between  mother  and  child  is  firmly 
welded  together  as  she  takes  him  into  her  confidence  and 
daily  work.  He  begins  to  think  he  is  of  some  value  and 
feels  quite  proud  in  saying: 

"I  wash  the  dishes, 
I  dust  the  chairs, 
I  help  my  mother 
With  all  her  cares." 
88 


THE  LITTLE  HOUSEKEEPER 

The  child  begins  to  appreciate  all  that  Mother  does  for 
him,  the  many  steps  she  took  for  him  before  he  could 
walk  and  wait  on  himself.  A  new  baby  comes  into  the 
family  and  these  thoughts  are  more  deeply  impressed 
upon  his  mind.  Often  splendid  resolutions  are  made  at 
this  time  to  help  Mother  more  and  more.  What  a  child 
thinks  is  well  expressed  in  the  following  lines: 

"Baby  cannot  even  talk. 
Cannot  run  and  cannot  walk. 
Once  I  was  a  baby  small, 
Could  not  help  myself  at  all. 
Mother  gave  me  loving  care. 
Now  the  work  I  want  to  share." 

The  mother  does  not  train  the  child  in  these  house- 
hold tasks  with  the  thought  that  he  will  do  any  great 
amount  of  work  at  present,  but  in  order  to  make  him 
intelligent  in  these  duties  both  now  and  in  the  years  to 
come.  It  makes  him  helpful  and  thoughtful,  it  teaches 
him  systematic  and  orderly  methods  of  accomphshing 
tasks,  it  gives  him  practical  knowledge  which  will  serve 
through  life.  He  gains  not  a  distaste  for  work,  but  a 
cheerful  attitude  toward  it,  and  develops  the  habit  of 
seeking  the  pleasant  side  of  all  duties.  The  most  im- 
portant result  of  all  is  that  he  appreciates  and  enjoys 
his  home  to  a  greater  extent  because  he  feels  that  he 
is  responsible  for  a  contribution  toward  making  it  a 
cleaner,  brighter  place,  and  he  is  drawn  closer  to  his 
mother  because  of  this  delightful  companionship  with 
her.  The  truth  of  this  is  shown  in  the  following  story: 

"Do  you  help  your  mother  at  home.? "  I  asked  Sarah, 
one  of  the  sweetest  of  my  kindergarten  children,  who 

89 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

came  from  a  rural  home.  I  had  met  the  mother,  a  neat 
Httle  woman  with  an  air  of  worry  and  anxiety,  but  a  most 
painstaking  housekeeper. 

"No,  teacher,"  came  the  answer.  "Mother  don't  let 
none  of  us  stay  round  the  house.  We 're  in  her  way.  She 
always  sends  us  outdoors  to  play." 

"Does  n't  Mother  ever  show  you  how  to  make  clothes 
for  your  dolly?"  I  asked. 

Again  the  answer  was  negative.  I  was  just  beginning 
to  realize  how  very  few  mothers  ever  include  the  children 
at  all  in  their  household  duties.  That  noon  I  walked 
home  with  Sarah  to  see  how  the  land  lay.  I  found  the 
mother  preparing  the  lunch,  while  two  of  the  older 
children  were  outdoors  jumping  rope.  Mrs.  O'Brien 
bade  me  sit  down,  and  while  she  hustled  around  we 
chatted. 

"You  must  find  it  very  hard,"  I  remarked,  "without 
any  help  in  the  kitchen." 

"Right  you  are.  Servants  is  too  dear  for  anybody 
these  days.  I  never  seen  the  beat  of  it!"  she  replied. 

"Did  you  ever  think  of  how  much  your  children 
could  help  you  if  you'd  let  them?" 

"Sure  and  it's  a  big  bother  they  are,  messing  up  my 
clean  kitchen,  playing  in  the  flour  barrel,  twirling  the 
egg-beater,  riding  horseback  over  the  dust  mop,  banging 
me  pans  and  kettles  together,  and  a  thousand  and  one 
other  things  till  it's  about  crazy  I  am." 

"Well,  isn't  it  nice  they're  so  interested  in  the 
kitchen!  And  of  course  they  like  to  be  around  with 
you,  where  there's  something  interesting  going  on. 
When  they're  HwirHng'  the  egg-beater,  would  it  take 

90 


THE  LITTLE  HOUSEKEEPER 

any  longer  to  say,  *Do  you  suppose  you  could  put  that 
in  this  bowl  and  see  if  you  can  beat  the  eggs  up? '  than  it 
would  to  say,  'Run  away  and  don't  bother  me'?  They 
will  be  fascinated  to  see  the  vhites  stiffen  and  turn  to 
meringue.  If  they  can  reach  the  pots  and  pans,  they  can 
bring  down  the  right  ones  and  grease  them  for  you. 
They  '11  love  it,  and  you  '11  be  surprised  at  the  time  it  will 
save.  Let  the  little  boy  that  plays  horseback  with  the 
mop  push  it  around  the  edges  of  the  room  and  pretend 
he's  mowing  the  grass,  or  something  similar." 

At  this  point  the  little  boy  in  question  came  rushing 
into  the  room  pursued  by  an  older  sister. 

"  Look,  Mamma !  Look  what  Benny  done ! "  she  cried. 

Benny  was  nervously  clasping  and  unclasping  a  comer 
of  his  blouse,  revealing  a  great  three-cornered  tear. 

"  Well,  I  have  n't  time  to  mend  it  now.  You  '11  have 
to  put  on  his  dirty  blouse." 

"How  old  is  Clarabelle?"  I  asked. 

"Goin'  on  fourteen." 

** Could  n't  she  mend  it  for  him?" 

"No.  She  ain't  very  handy  with  her  needle." 

"How  do  you  know?  Have  you  given  her  much 
chance?" 

"No.  I  do  all  the  se win'.  She  learnt  a  little  at  school, 
but  did  n't  like  it  much." 

"What  did  she  do  at  school?" 

"Oh,  different  kinds  of  fancy  stitches." 

"Well,  Mrs.  O'Brien,  let  me  tell  you.  That's  just  the 
way  it  was  with  me.  I  showed  no  taste  or  interest  in 
sewing,  and  no  one  ever  tried  to  interest  me.  The  conse- 
quence was  when  I  went  away  to  school,  I  found  the 

91 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

other  girls  making  their  own  clothes,  while  I  could  barely 
darn  my  stockings  decently.  Now  just  give  Clarabelle 
some  odd  pieces  of  bright  cloth,  and  take  a  few  minutes 
to  show  her  how  to  cut  out  a  dress  for  her  doll,  and  I  '11 
wager  she'll  be  a  great  help  to  you  some  day." 

"Mebbe  you're  right  at  that.  You  teachers  sure  do 
have  some  queer  ideas,  but  I'll  try  'em,  sure  I  will!" 
was  the  hearty  response. 

"All  right!"  I  laughed.  "I'll  come  to  see  you  next 
week,  and  I  '11  expect  you  to  have  your  little  army  lined 
up,  and  working,  or  playing,  rather,  like  Trojans."  And 
I  left  the  house  feeling  that  I'd  left  some  fertile  ideas 
rooted  in  the  mind  of  one  mother  at  least. 


VIII 
THE  DOLL-HOUSE 

PAPER  dolls  or  even  small  bisque  dolls  like  to  live 
in  a  real  house;  so  with  a  little  ingenuity  and  many 
kinds  of  materials,  a  house  can  easily  be  created.  Any 
wooden  box  lying  on  its  side  and  partitioned  off  in  four 
parts  gives  the  suggestion  of  four  rooms.  A  salt  or  starch 
box  may  only  be  large  enough  to  be  called  a  one-room 
bungalow,  but  immediately  the  child's  imagination 
begins  to  work.  One  corner  suggests  a  living-room, 
another  a  bedroom,  a  play-room  and  kitchen.  There 
is  also  the  hat  box,  shoe  box,  and  corrugated  packing- 
box  from  which  to  choose.  Good  taste  in  furniture  des- 
ignated for  different  rooms,  color  schemes  and  arrange- 
ment all  are  beneficial  to  the  child's  development  and 
occupy  many  hours  of  play. 

WALLS 

Choose  from  rolls  of  left-over  wall-paper  appropriate 
designs  to  paper  the  different  rooms.  Small  patterns 
are  preferable  for  these  miniature  homes.  If  you  Lave 
no  wall-paper,  plain  brown  wrapping-paper  can  be  used. 
The  child  may  like  to  draw  a  frieze  of  flowers  with  his 
crayons  or  cut  out  patterns  and  paste  in  border  design. 
If  the  box  chosen  is  clean  and  of  a  good  shade  to  blend 
with  other  decorations  of  the  room,  the  borders  or  cut 
out  designs  may  be  put  directly  upon  the  sides.  There 
should  be  a  few  w<^ll-chosen  pictures  upon  the  walls. 

93 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

From  the  catalogue  of  the  Perry  Pictures,  Maiden, 
Massachusetts,  a  remarkable  choice  of  masterpieces  of 
the  world  can  be  made.  Sometimes  children  will  prefer 
to  draw  pictures  depicting  a  story  or  an  incident  of  their 
experience,  to  be  pasted  on  the  walls.  Small  snap-shot 
photographs  have  been  used.  Never  discourage  their 
originality. 

WINDOWS  AND  DOORS 

Before  cutting  out  windows  and  doors,  plan  first  the 
size,  shape,  and  height.  From  pictures  in  magazines, 
such  as  "  House  Beautiful "  or  *'  Ladies'  Home  Journal," 
artistic  suggestions  and  arrangements  can  be  copied.  By 
cutting  across  the  top  and  bottom  and  down  the  center, 
then  bending  the  cardboard  back  on  each  side,  the  shut- 
ters are  made  and  still  attached  to  the  house.  Work  out 
the  doors  in  the  same  manner  and  decorate  by  drawing 
lines  to  represent  paneling.  Any  transparent  paper, 
such  as  wax  paper  found  in  candy  boxes,  makes  the 
window  panes.  With  a  soft  black  pencil  and  ruler,  the 
panes  may  be  marked  off  in  large,  small,  or  diamond 
shapes.  Isinglass  also  is  used  for  windows.  At  the  base 
of  the  window  paste  on  flowers  in  flower  pots  which  you 
cut  from  some  illustrated  magazine.  A  window  box 
can  also  be  constructed.  Take  the  dimension  of  the 
width  of  a  window  and  cut  a  little  longer  an  oblong 
piece  of  green  or  brown  construction  paper.  Fold  so  as 
to  make  an  oblong  box  by  cutting,  folding,  and  pasting 
comers.  On  the  outside  of  each  corner  paste  on  legs, 
making  height  of  box  come  to  the  window  edge.  Cut 
out  and  paste  inside  the  box  red  tulips  and  green  leaves. 


THE  DOLL-HOUSE 

Paste  the  plants  on  the  bottom  end  and  place  them  along 
the  center  of  the  box.  Cut  up  and  crumple  soft  dark 
brown  paper  and  gently  pack  in  box  around  the  flowers, 
giving  the  suggestion  of  dirt. 

CURTAINS 

Though  there  may  be  many  suggestions  as  to  window 
curtains,  there  is  no  better  taste  than  white  draperies. 
Side  drop  curtains  with  a  narrow  ruffle  across  the  top 
of  the  window  are  very  effective.  Tissue  or  crepe  paper 
gives  the  best  results.  If  color  scheme  is  desired  to  carry 
out  the  treatment  of  the  room,  choose  carefully  the  deli- 
cate shades  which  will  blend  well  with  furniture  and  wall 
decorations. 

FLOOR 

A  PLAIN  wall-paper,  dull-colored  cardboard,  and  blotting- 
paper  are  materials  which  can  be  used  for  covering  the 
floor,  or  making  rugs.  With  crayons  rub  in  soft  colors 
of  Oriental  patterns  or  Indian  designs.  The  two  op- 
posite sides  may  be  cut  up  in  narrow  strips  a  short  dis- 
tance, to  give  the  effect  of  fringe.  In  another  chapter 
is  described  how  to  weave  mats  made  of  worsted  or 
string.  To  make  and  use  these  always  please  the  chil- 
dren. 

FURNITURE 

Fairly  heavy  paper  should  be  used  to  make  furniture. 
Construction  and  mounting-paper,  also  bogus  paper, 
are  the  kinds  of  paper  to  call  for  at  stationers  or  school 
supply  stores  if  one  is  ordering.  In  the  home,  however, 

95 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

something  usually  can  be  found  among  empty  boxes. 
Better  still,  the  city  laundry  supplies  each  starched 
shirt  with  a  piece  of  cardboard  which  is  just  the  thing 
for  your  purpose.  A  heavy  quality  of  wall-paper,  with 
appropriate  colors  and  figures,  makes  furniture  resem- 
bling cretonne  upholstery.  The  simplest  form  of  folding 
is  advisable  so  the  child  may  make  much  of  the  furni- 
ture himself.  Take  a  six-inch  square  piece  of  cardboard 
and  fold  as  before  explained,  creasing  it  into  the  sixteen- 
inch  squares.  With  scissors,  cut  down  the  distance  of 
one  square  at  each  of  the  four  corners  as  designated  by 
lines  in 

Fig.  I.    Fold  dotted  line  A— B  and  C— D.    Bring 
A — C  together,  lapping  E — E  over  them.   Do  the  same 


1      '       . 

7 


r^d. 


Fig.  I 


Fig.  II 


Fig.  Ill 


on  the  other  side  by  bringing  B — D  together,  lapping 
F — F  side  over  them.  By  putting  glue  on  the  under  side 
of  E  and  F,  these  folds  will  remain  in  position  and  you 
have  made  a  box.  (Fig.  II.)  To  make  a  cover  for  the 
box,  construct  another  box  in  same  manner  only  making 
the  size  of  the  paper  one  eighth  inch  larger  in  square  di- 
mensions. (Fig.  III.)  The  table  is  an  inverted  box,  cut- 
ting out  the  sides  between  the  four  corners,  which  be- 
come the  four  legs. 

96 


THE  DOLL-HOUSE 


CHAIR 

Fold  paper  into  sixteen  square  creases.  Cut  off  from 
two  sides  a  row  of  squares,  leaving  nine  squares.  Cut 
down  one  square  each  side  of  middle  square  of  two 
opposite  sides,  as  shown  by  heavy  lines  in  Figure  IV. 
Fold   and  paste  to- 

a  [  C  \(t 


B 


iii 


'.M  0^ 


Fig.  IV 


Fig.  V 


gether  A  and  A. 
Crease  square  C  in- 
to an  upright  posi- 
tion. Fold  and  paste 
B  and  B  together; 
now  paste  square  D 
down    upon     B — B. 

Cut  out  between  the  corners  in  any  shape  desirable, 
leaving  the  corners  to  become  legs.  The  back  of  the 
chair,  which  is  square  C,  should  be  cut  out  in  simple 
patterns  copying  your  dining-room  chair.  (Fig.  V.)  If 
desired,  the  seat  can  be  perforated  in  even  rows  to  imi- 
tate cane- woven  seats.  A  rocking-chair  is  made  in  the 
same  way,  pasting  a  curved  piece  of  paper  on  two  sides 
of  the  chair  at  the  lower  edge  of  the  legs. 


BED 

A  BED  is  made  like  the  table.  On  one  side  the  squares  are 
cut,  but  instead  of  being  removed,  fold  them  in  an  up- 
right position  to  make  the  headboard  of  the  bed.  The 
opposite  end  can  be  treated  in  the  same  manner,  cutting 
off  half  the  width  of  squares  which  are  turned  up,  mak- 
ing it  seem  like  a  footboard.  A  more  elaborate  canopy 
bed  can  be  made  by  folding  another  box  shape  and  set- 

97 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

ting  it  upright  on  one  end  of  the  bed.  This  canopy  can 
be  cut  out  with  curved  sides,  patterning  after  pictures 
of  beds  used  in  historic  days.  The  four-posted  bed 
can  be  worked  out,  adding  paper  posts  at  the  four  cor- 
ners. Tissue  paper  spread  with  valance  and  bed  roll 
complete  a  most  attractive  bed. 

Bureaus,  sideboards,  divans,  kitchen  stove,  ice  chest, 
may  be  made  from  this  first  simple  sixteen  fold  by  ad- 
justing the  folds  to  form  the  desired  piece  of  furniture. 
If  furniture  of  the  entire  room  is  to  be  of  the  same 
pattern,  one  can  easily  see  that  such  parts  should  be 
designed,  crayoned,  or  painted  before  glued  together. 
From  paper  doilies  or  candy  boxes,  use  the  lace  paper 
for  tablecloths  and  covers,  cutting  it  down  to  suit  the 
size  of  table,  sideboard,  or  bureau.  Silver  paper,  which 
wraps  chewing  gum,  chocolate  candy,  or  even  yeast 
cakes,  is  used  for  mirrors.  To  make  a  smaller  chair  or 
cradle  use  a  smaller  piece  of  paper,  folding  in  the  same 
manner.  Discretion  must  be  used  in  getting  correct 
proportions.  Furniture,  doors,  and  windows  must  be 
constructed  according  to  the  size  of  box  used  for  the 
house. 

FIREPLACE 

A  GREAT  addition  to  the  living-room  or  dining-room  is 
the  fireplace.  If  you  have  no  red  paper,  a  piece  of  white 
paper  can  be  crayoned  or  painted  red.  When  dry,  a 
white  crayon  or  chalk  can  be  used  to  mark  off  small 
rectangles  which  resemble  bricks.  Proceed  as  with  fur- 
niture, getting  the  sixteen  square  creases.  Fold  one  row 
of  squares  on  left,  right,  and  top  of  paper  in  halves.  Cut 


THE  DOLL-HOUSE 


^. 

-*- 

7^ 

i  .' 

(    * 

1    ! 

i 

i   ; 

ll 

lii 

Fig.  VI 


out  one  half  of  square  at  A  and  B  in  Figure  VI.  Cut 
lines  C  and  D.  Now  fold  back  the  entire  row  of  squares. 
The  half  fold  is  made  here  in  order  that  the  first  part 
of  half  squares  may  be  pasted  to 
the  side  of  the  room,  allowing  the 
chimney  to  stand  out  into  the 
room,  and  it  also  makes  a  shelf 
on  top.  Before  pasting,  however, 
cut  out  a  curved  piece  from  the 
two  lower  middle  squares.  On 
the  floor  under  the  fireplace,  put 
an  oblong  piece  of  this  red  paper  to  represent  the 
tiling.  Andirons  made  from  black  paper  should  be  put 
in  the  curved  opening  of  the  fireplace,  while  pieces  of 
paper  and  broken  toothpicks  give 
the  finishing  touch  to  the  cozy 
corner.    (See  Fig.  VII.) 

All  this  work  when  carried  out 
in  every  detail  takes  planning  and 
practice.  It  is,  however,  absorbing 
in  interest  and  gives  an  opportu- 
nity for  originality  and  cooperation 
with  big  brothers,  sisters,  and  parents. 

The  first  illustration  shows  the  doll-house  constructed 
from  a  corrugated  box.  The  top  may  be  adjusted  to  slant 
like  a  roof,  but  the  child  often  likes  the  top  cut  off  so  she 
can  play  easily  in  the  rooms.  If  the  box  is  turned  on 
one  side  and  up  and  down  stairs  are  partitioned  off, 
the  front  should  be  left  entirely  open  so  that  the  child 
may  play  freely.  If  Big  Brother  or  Father  wishes  to 
make  a  more  enduring  house  from  wooden  box  or  beaver 

99 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

board,  the  front  of  the  house  may  be  built  to  swing  like 
a  big  door  on  hinges.  Doors  and  windows  in  this  front 
part  should  be  worked  out  according  to  a  real  house. 
Constructed  in  this  fashion  the  house  is  kept  free  from 
dust,  as  well  as  looking  orderly  and  complete  when  not 
in  use. 

Sometimes  one  sees  house-boats  along  the  shores  of 
either  salt  or  fresh  water  or  on  a  river,  where  people 
spend  their  summer,  going  to  the  land  only  for  food  sup- 
plies. To  a  child  it  would  make  quite  an  impression  to 
see  a  house  resting  on  top  of  the  water  and  an  imitation 
one  will  need  to  be  made.  By  the  illustration  you  will 
see  that  an  ordinary  shoe  box  has  been  converted  into  a 
playhouse  boat.  Take  the  box  part  and  cut  about  three 
or  four  inches  from  one  end.  Now  insert  this  end 
into  the  rest  of  the  box  and  paste  it  upside  down  on 
the  cover.  This  foreshortening  of  the  box  gives  an 
opportunity  to  have  a  piazza  at  the  front  of  the  boat. 
Now  cut  out  doors  and  windows.  In  making  the  win- 
dows cut  around  three  sides,  bending  upward  and 
outward  from  the  upper  line.  By  crayoning  in  green 
stripes  on  the  bent  cardboard  you  will  get  the  effect  of 
awnings.  From  dark  or  light  paper  cut  out  a  railing  or 
fence  to  edge  around  the  piazza  and  top  of  house  which 
may  be  used  for  a  piazza.  Inasmuch  as  quick-growing 
vines  are  often  planted  in  pots  and  allowed  to  climb  over 
the  sides  of  the  boat,  so  on  this  house  an  imitation  vine 
adds  greatly  to  its  attraction.  Make  a  paper  boat  and 
tie  to  the  piazza,  as  this  is  the  dory  which  takes  you  to  the 
shore.  Chairs  can  be  made  for  the  piazza  and  other 
furniture  for  inside  the  house;  last  of  all  do  not  forget  to 

100 


EXTERIOR  OF  DOLL-HOUSES 


THE  DOLL-HOUSE 

hoist  a  flag  which  represents  the  country  in  which  you 
live.  As  this  boat  is  made  of  cardboard  it  can  only  make- 
beheve  to  float  on  the  table  or  floor,  but  if  it  is  placed 
on  a  piece  of  wood  it  would  afford  great  sport  in  the 
bathtub  or  beside  the  seashore. 

Children's  inclinations  tend  toward  duplicating  in  play 
the  activities  they  see  about  them  in  real  life,  therefore 
the  little  housekeeper  and  little  mother  are  expressed  in 
the  making  and  caring  for  these  houses.  Going  to  school 
is  also  a  daily  experience  which,  with  its  trials  and  tribu- 
lations, is  nevertheless  carried  over  into  the  play  hours. 
It  is  such  fun  to  be  teacher  and  use  stern  discipline,  de- 
mand hard  lessons  and  tasks  of  one's  little  playmates. 
This  suggests  that  for  the  dolls  a  schoolroom  can  be  built 
from  a  box.  The  illustration  depicts  a  kindergarten 
room.  On  the  walls  are  a  few  pictures,  and  a  strip  of  black 
paper  pasted  across  the  side  represents  a  blackboard. 
From  construction  paper  fold  a  box  in  which  sea  sand 
is  placed.  This  would  be  in  one  corner  of  the  room  just 
like  the  real  sand  table.  A  kindergarten  bench  or  table 
is  made  of  a  long  narrow  piece  of  heavy  paper  pasted  on 
top  of  two  spools.  A  table  and  chairs  can  be  made  from 
folded  paper,  or  use  a  spool  as  foundation  on  which  a 
table  or  chair  top  is  pasted.  There  should  be  a  few 
tiny  toys  added  to  the  room,  such  as  small  blocks  of 
wood,  a  piece  of  plasticine  put  on  the  table,  or  a  little 
cart  made  from  a  small  match  box.  From  the  child's 
own  school  experience  he  will  suggest  what  he  wants  in 
his  kindergarten  room. 

As  is  seen  in  the  two-roomed  doll-house,  much  thought 
of  details  and  comforts  of  a  modern  home  has  been 

101 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

shown.  The  grand  piano  is  realistic.  Its  shape  is  copied 
from  pictures  and  worked  out  in  heavy  black  paper. 
The  keyboard  is  carefully  drawn  on  a  piece  of  white 
paper  and  pasted  in  its  right  place  in  the  front  of  the 
piano.  The  victrola  is  made  from  the  sixteen-fold 
paper  as  described  in  another  chapter.  Cut  down  at 
each  crease  the  distance  of  one  square  across  the  top 
row.  Cut  off  entirely  three  quarters  of  the  bottom  row 
of  squares.  The  remaining  quarter  of  the  square  cut  out, 
leaving  four  corners  to  make  the  legs.  Fold  and  paste 
down  on  top  of  each  other  the  cut  squares  at  the  top, 
leaving  the  last  one  free  to  represent  the  cover  of  the 
victrola.  Reinforce  underneath  the  edges  of  the  two 
sides  of  the  victrola,  which  just  meet,  with  paper  and 
paste.  On  top  of  the  squares  which  have  been  folded 
draw  in  a  black  circle  representing  a  record.  In  the 
front  upper  square  cut  two  doors,  folding  them  out  just 
a  little,  thus  imagining  the  music  to  sound  louder. 

The  divan  and  chairs  have  pieces  of  paper  curled  and 
placed  over  the  edges  of  the  sides  to  make  comfortable 
arms  to  the  furniture.  The  vase  on  the  table  is  filled 
with  carefully  cut  jonquils  while  folded  pieces  of  paper 
represent  little  books.  All  these  incidentals  give  oppor- 
tunity to  observe  what  makes  up  the  comforts  of  the 
home  living-room. 

The  bedroom  has  suggestions  of  antique  furniture. 
This  four-posted  bed  came  from  the  original  sixteen-fold 
paper.  Cut  at  the  corners  and  lap  over  squares,  following 
directions  for  making  a  bed.  To  each  corner  paste  a 
post  cut  in  any  desired  design.  The  spread,  flounce,  and 
pillow  roll  complete  the  bed-making  and  look  realistic 

102 


INTERIOR  OF  DOLL-HOUSES 


THE  DOLIr-HOUSE 

and  dainty.  The  window  curtains  carry  out  the  same 
color  scheme,  and  are  made  of  yellow  crepe  paper.  The 
bureau  and  chairs  are  made  as  before  described.  No  two 
children  will  want  the  same  things  in  their  houses,  as 
the  desire  comes  from  their  own  experiences.  If  a  child 
has  not  seen  a  victrola  he  would  not  understand  if  you 
suggest  it  be  made,  but  as  he  visits  in  a  home  where  he 
sees  and  hears  one,  on  his  return  the  victrola  must  be 
made  for  the  doll-house.  It  is  well,  therefore,  that  every 
child  be  given  the  opportunity  to  create  a  home  or  the 
doll-house  which  outwardly  expresses  his  thoughts 
through  manual  labor. 


IX 
TOY-TOWN  VILLAGES 

FROM  a  simple  piece  of  paper,  with  its  folds,  an- 
other suggestion  comes  which  will  delight  the  in- 
ventive girl  or  boy.  This  time  let  us  consider  making  a 
house;  not  a  big  house  with  many  rooms  and  furniture 
such  as  we  have  been  talking  about,  but  just  a  small 
house  with  a  roof,  doors,  and  windows.  After  you  have 
made  one,  then  make  another  and  another,  changing  its 
architecture  somewhat  to  give  variety.  The  first  type 
of  a  house  can  be  made  easily  by  a  small  child. 

DESCRIPTION 

Take  any  size  square  of  construction  or  heavy  paper. 
The  illustrations  seen  here  are  made  of  bogus  paper  and 
a  nine-inch  square  was  used.  This  gray-toned  paper 
gives  the  effect  of  a  cement  house  and  opportunity  for 
contrasting  colors  in  decorations.  The  square  paper, 
having  been  creased  into  sixteen  squares,  follow  these 
directions :  On  two  opposite  sides  cut  up  the  distance  of 
one  square  on  the  three  creases.  Bend  the  two  middle 
squares  one  on  top  of  the  other  and  paste  together. 
Bring  the  two  outer  squares  together  which  will  lap  each 
other  and  cross  the  center  of  the  two  middle  squares 
just  pasted.  Now  paste  these  together.  Repeat  these 
instructions  at  the  opposite  end  of  paper,  and  then  the 
house  with  its  slanting  roof  will  be  created.  If  desired, 
a  brass  fastener  can  be  passed  through  these  folded 

104 


TOY-TOWN  VILLAGES 

squares  which  will  hold  it  in  shape.  This  method  may 
be  used  when  a  little  child  is  satisfied  with  the  plain 
house.  To  suit  one's  fancy,  doors  and  windows  are  cut 
on  the  different  sides.  A  back  door,  front  door,  small 
and  lattice  windows  or  long  Dutch  window  doors. 
With  more  paper  a  dormer  window  can  be  projected 
from  either  side  of  the  roof,  and  a  chimney  must  be 
made.  This  can  be  either  pasted  on  the  side  roof  or  a 
hole  can  be  cut  in  which  it  is  inserted.  At  one  side  mth 
extra  paper  a  porch  or  a  sun  parlor  can  be  added,  which 
gives  a  modern  touch  of  architecture.  In  walks  with  a 
child,  ideas  of  houses  can  be  discussed  as  they  are  passed. 
Pictures  also  help  in  the  designing  of  a  miniature  house. 
When  the  child  needs  assistance  and  asks  for  it,  quite 
elaborate  and  attractive  houses  can  be  made.  If  bogus 
paper  is  used,  bits  of  red  tissue  paper  can  be  pasted  on 
the  inside  of  the  windows,  giving  a  bright,  pretty  con- 
trast. Window  boxes  of  green  with  tiny  flowers  look  at- 
tractive. Water-colors  or  crayons  can  be  used  to  good 
advantage  in  coloring  the  chimney  or  moss-green  roof 
and  trimmings  of  the  house.  A  green  vine,  an  ivy,  or 
even  a  rambler  rose  can  be  suggested  with  paints  on  a 
side  of  the  house  or  on  a  lattice-work  over  the  doorway. 
When  the  project  is  planned,  all  drawing  and  cutting 
should  be  done  before  the  building  is  pasted  together, 
thus  avoiding  mistakes.  With  pencil  and  ruler  the  win- 
dows and  doors  can  be  drawn  after  the  folds  are  made; 
the  painting  and  decorating  after  it  is  put  together. 

This  construction  of  buildings  can  be  carried  on  to 
greater  extent.  A  toy  village  should  be  the  next  ambi- 
tion. On  top  of  a  table  or  bench  streets  can  be  laid  out 

105 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

with  houses  on  each  side.  Included  in  the  group  of 
houses  should  be  other  buildings  such  as  the  school- 
house,  church,  library,  and  fire-engine-house.  Do  not 
try  to  make  everything  at  once;  but  take  the  buildings 
one  by  one,  the  child  finding  out  for  himself  their  uses 
and  differences  in  construction.  The  schoolhouse  and 
engine-house  have  large  double  doors  and  some  have 
towers,  too.  The  schoolhouse  has  steps  while  the  engine- 
house  doors  open  on  a  broad  driveway  so  the  engines 
can  dash  out  quickly.  The  church  should  have  a  fine 
steeple,  its  windows  tall  and  narrow  with  a  curved  top  or 
arch.  A  cross  is  sometimes  placed  upon  the  top  of  the 
steeple  or  at  the  corner  edge  of  the  roof.  At  one  side  of  a 
door  there  is,  perhaps,  a  portico  for  the  automobiles  and 
carriages  to  drive  under.  The  fruit  stores  have  large 
show  windows  and  shelves  covered  with  fruit,  while  a 
bank  or  library  would  have  a  very  dignified  appearance 
with  tall  pillars  and  good-sized  windows.  Surely  a  flag- 
staff with  flag  waving  would  be  seen  on  some  one  of  these 
buildings.  Thus  the  child  observes  what  is  in  his  home 
town  and  learns  to  describe  not  only  the  different  build- 
ings, but  the  activities  which  are  going  on  within  them. 
A  piece  of  green  paper  or  paper  crayoned  green  may 
be  placed  under  these  buildings  to  represent  grass.  A 
brown-crayoned  walk  should  wind  up  to  the  front  doors, 
and  paths  should  be  laid  out  about  the  lawns  and  flower 
gardens.  Group  some  buildings,  such  as  the  church, 
school,  and  library,  about  a  center  green  or  call  it  the 
village  park.  Trees  should  be  growing  along  the  road- 
side. Real  twigs  can  be  gathered  and  set  up  in  the  center 
of  an  empty  spool  which  has  been  painted  dark  brown. 

106 


TOY-TOWTN^  HOUSES 


TOY-TOWN  VILLAGES 

With  paper,  however,  there  are  several  kinds  of  trees 
which  can  be  originated  by  tearing  free  hand  or  be  cut 
from  green  paper.  Make  two  patterns  at  once  of  the 
same  shape;  paste  one  on  each  side  of  a  small  stick  and 
put  this  in  the  empty  spool.  In  your  walks  discuss  the 
shapes  of  trees  noting  the  differences  so  that  in  repro- 
ducing on  paper  the  child  will  feel  satisfied  he  has  made 
a  maple,  an  elm,  or  a  fir  which  he  calls  a  Christmas-tree. 
The  development  of  this  kind  of  work  is  limited  only 
by  the  time  and  inclination  of  mother,  teacher,  or  older 
companion  to  help,  suggest,  and,  best  of  all,  to  encourage 
the  little  builder.  We  have  come  to  realize  that  learning 
rules  and  facts  never  instruct,  but  that  experience  is  the 
true  teacher  and  moulds  our  education.  From  his  owti 
town  and  home  environment  let  us  then  give  the  child 
experience  in  developing  som^ething  from  a  neighboring 
city,  or  from  the  farm,  or  discovering  life  and  customs 
in  far-away  lands.  The  use  of  pictures  through  photog- 
raphy has  developed  a  closer  bond  between  states  and 
nations,  but  to  see  a  small  likeness  in  the  form  of  toys 
makes  one  step  in  advance  in  appreciating  how  others 
live.  It  is  more  reaUstic  to  the  child. 

THE  FARM 

A  VISIT  to  the  farm  and  country  makes  a  deep  impres- 
sion upon  the  city  child.  Wliat  fun  it  would  be  for  him, 
on  his  return  home,  to  make  a  farmhouse  and  barn  of 
his  own !  The  children  who  live  on  the  farm  would  take 
great  pleasure  in  their  play  to  do  what  Father  must  do 
every  day,  so  they  would  like  to  build  a  toy  farm. 
The  house  must  be  made  first,  using  the  directions  of 
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CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

the  first  house  fold.  A  smaller  house,  built  in  the  same 
fashion  and  attached  to  one  end  of  the  larger  house, 
would  give  the  familiar  look  of  an  ell.  The  barn  is  often 
larger  than  the  house,  therefore  the  original  square  piece 
of  paper  should  be  a  half -inch  larger  in  proportion. 
There  are  the  sheds,  toolhouse,  henhouses,  and  carriage- 
house  to  be  made  for  this  farm,  and  then  we  must  not 
forget  the  farmyard.  With  long,  narrow  strips  of  paper 
cut  out  rectangular  pieces  which  will  make  a  fence  and 
posts  all  in  one  piece  of  paper.  Bend  the  fence  in  a 
square  formation,  letting  it  stand  at  one  side  of  the  barn. 
Some  dried  grass  can  be  put  into  the  enclosure,  or  a 
quantity  of  brown  and  green  snippings  of  paper  can  be 
used  for  this  purpose. 

To  make  the  farm  complete,  there  must  be  life.  From 
patterns  or  pictures  cut  out  some  of  the  farmyard  ani- 
mals and  place  them  about  the  yard.  If  the  child  has 
visited  the  farm  or  has  pets  of  his  own,  he  will  know  or 
remember  just  what  should  be  found  there.  In  cutting 
out  animals  fold  the  paper  double  so  that  somewhere  on 
the  back  or  head  there  may  be  kept  a  small  section  of 
the  pattern  on  the  fold.  This  holds  the  two  sides  of  the 
animal  together  and  yet  spreads  at  the  bottom  so  that  it 
can  stand.  Another  way  is  to  cut  out  two  patterns  alike, 
paste  along  the  upper  edge  of  head  and  back,  and  then 
spread  apart  below.  This  gives  the  single  head  and  body 
and  four  legs  of  the  horse,  cow,  or  dog.  For  the  smaller 
pets,  like  hens  and  chickens,  an  extra  piece  of  paper 
should  be  kept  on  at  the  bottom  of  the  feet  so  that  it  can 
be  folded  at  right  angles  and  give  balance  to  the  bird 
that  is  trying  to  stand. 

108 


A  FARMYARD 


A  VILLAGE  OF  BUILDING  BLOCKS 


TOY-TOWN  VILLAGES 

Let  us  hope  this  play  with  the  farmer's  home  and  his 
cares  will  give  the  child  a  slight  sense  of  appreciation  of 
how  much  we  are  indebted  to  him.  The  wool  cut  from 
his  sheep  is  made  into  cloth  to  keep  us  warm.  From  his 
cow  comes  the  milk  which  we  drink.  He  supplies  the 
eggs  and  chickens  which  we  eat.  He  raises  wheat  for  our 
flour,  and  cares  for  the  trees  which  bear  fruit  for  us  and 
for  the  garden  which  produces  vegetables. 

THE  ESKIMO  VILLAGE 

In  turning  to  a  land  where  there  are  no  farms  and  no 
green  grass,  the  child  is  filled  with  wonder  as  he  is  told  of 
his  little  friend  of  the  North,  the  Eskimo.  His  country, 
home,  habits,  and  life  in  general  are  so  different  from 
ours  that  the  child  will  delight  in  creating  a  toy  village 
of  ice  and  snow.  In  reproducing  the  picture  here  illus- 
trated, a  large  flat  box  is  the  first  article  required.  If  a 
wooden  box  is  available  this  village  and  the  other  villages 
may  be  set  up  in  more  compact  form  and  will  make  less 
clutter  in  a  home  or  schoolroom.  Cover  the  bottom  of 
the  box  with  cotton  batting  pulled  up  here  and  there  to 
give  the  natural  effect  of  snowdrifts.  At  the  back  are 
two  hills  or  glaciers,  which  can  be  made  either  by  mass- 
ing a  great  deal  of  the  cotton  together  or  by  pasting  a 
layer  of  cotton  over  heavy  paper  which  can  be  bent  into 
irregular  shapes  to  represent  hills.  As  a  day  of  the 
North  is  very  much  darker  than  ours,  this  should  be  il- 
lustrated by  painting  on  a  piece  of  paper  the  wonderful 
colors  of  a  sunset.  Paste  this  paper  at  the  back  of  the 
hills  on  heavy  cardboard  so  that  it  can  stand  up  and 
cast  its  glow  of  colors  over  the  snowy  foreground. 

109 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

At  the  foot  of  the  hills  are  the  igloos.  These  are  the 
homes  of  the  Eskimos.  They  are  dome-shaped  huts 
usually  built  of  shaped  blocks  of  hard  snow  with  a  win- 
dow made  of  a  slab  of  ice.  To  make  these  for  our  village 
cover  a  stiff  piece  of  cardboard  with  the  cotton  and  then 
bend  over  into  a  round  shape.  Place  these  here  and  there 
in  the  snowy  country. 

For  the  little  people  who  live  here,  china  dolls  should 
be  dressed  in  cotton  batting  even  to  the  caps  on  the 
head,  for  all  you  should  see  of  their  faces  are  their  eyes, 
nose,  and  mouth.  Dolls  cut  out  of  heavy  cardboard  and 
covered  with  batting  would  answer  the  purpose. 

The  dogs  of  this  country  are  very  faithful,  and  their 
master  is  very  fond  of  them.  He  has  many  of  them 
which  are  trained  to  be  harnessed  to  sleds  to  carry  peo- 
ple and  provisions  over  the  snowy  land.  These  dogs 
have  coats  of  brown  fur,  so  for  our  play  we  must  make 
them  of  heavy  brown  paper  cut  double  so  they  will 
stand  up.  Cut  out  a  sled  also  of  heavy  paper.  Draw  a 
rectangle  and  on  each  long  side  draw  lines  representing 
the  runners.  When  cut  out,  fold  on  the  long  side  of  the 
rectangle  and  you  will  see  you  have  made  a  sled.  With 
a  heavy  thread  harness  the  dogs  along  in  a  row  and  then 
attach  to  the  sled. 

Let  this  train  of  dogs  and  sled  curve  around  the  foot- 
hills as  if  coming  home  from  a  long  journey.  In  the  fore- 
ground is  a  lake  frozen  over  with  ice.  Let  this  be  repre- 
sented by  a  mirror  embedded  in  the  cotton.  Great 
white  polar  bears  come  to  the  lake  in  the  hope  of  finding 
a  hole  in  the  ice  so  they  can  get  a  drink  of  water.  These 
can  be  made  of  heavy  white  paper  cut  out  on  the  fold 

110 


AN  ESKIMO  VILLAGE 


A  DUTCH  VILLAGE 


TOY-TOWN  VILLAGES 

and  cotton  pasted  on  them  to  represent  the  shaggy 
white  fur.  Over  the  whole  landscape  sprinkle  tinsel 
quartz  which  -^all  give  a  realistic  touch  and  make  you 
feel  it  is  the  land  of  snow. 

INDIAN  VILLAGE 

Every  little  boy  is  thrilled  with  the  ownership  of  a  tent. 
He  likes  to  sleep  or  play  in  it  with  all  its  imaginary  fas- 
cinations of  the  earliest  inhabitants  of  America,  the  In- 
dians. Perhaps  the  child  has  been  given  an  Indian  suit 
of  kliaki,  and  having  had  stories  told  him  of  the  life  and 
habits  of  the  Indians  he  wants  to  imitate  them  in  play. 
Still  another  more  educational  way  would  be  to  create 
in  toyland  for  both  boy  and  girl  an  Indian  village  de- 
picting, as  history  has  handed  down,  the  habits  and  cus- 
toms peculiar  to  the  race.  Pictures  and  stories  will  give 
the  background  on  which  to  work.  The  children  will 
take  a  keen  interest  in  making  a  village  of  tents,  or 
"wigwams"  as  they  are  called. 

As  the  Indians  were  a  restless  race  their  homes  were 
made  so  that  they  could  easily  fold  them  up  and  travel 
to  another  attractive  resting-place.  Long  before  heavy 
canvas  was  woven,  these  people  had  to  use  what  they 
could  find,  so  they  used  the  skins  of  animals  tied  together 
to  make  their  homes.  In  making  this  little  village  brown 
paper  must  be  folded  to  represent  the  wigrv^am.  Jijst 
outside  the  door  of  each  tent  pile  up  pieces  of  toothpicks 
or  burnt  matches  for  a  make-believe  fire.  Be  sure  the 
sticks  are  laid  to  come  to  a  point  in  the  middle,  thus 
making  a  circular  pile,  for  this  is  the  way  the  Indians 
did.  Here  is  where  each  mother,  or  "squaw"  as  she  was 

111 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

called,  cooked  for  the  family.  She  was  very  busy  all 
day,  because  after  the  father  had  caught  the  deer,  duck, 
or  fish,  she  had  to  prepare  it  for  cooking.  She  had  to 
take  the  hide  of  an  animal  and  cure  it  for  making  either 
a  tent,  a  dress,  or  a  blanket.  She  also  took  the  kernels  of 
corn  and,  after  grinding  them  between  stones,  mixed 
them  with  water  to  make  bread.  If  there  was  a  baby  in 
this  home,  he  was  wrapped  in  a  case  made  of  leather  and 
strapped  on  Mother's  back,  who  carried  him  around  aU 
day  while  she  worked.  The  baby  was  called  a  little 
"papoose."  The  girls  helped  Mother  with  these  house- 
hold duties  while  the  boys  went  off  hunting  with  the 
men  to  see  how  brave  they  could  become. 

Small  dolls  can  represent  different  members  of  the 
family.  Dolls  can  be  made  of  paper,  cloth,  or  corn 
husks  if  china  dolls  cannot  be  bought.  With  paint  or 
crayon  their  bodies  should  be  colored  dark.  Their  skin 
became  very  dark  from  exposure  of  their  bodies  to  heat 
and  cold,  for  their  dress  was  only  the  animal  skins  that 
Mother  had  prepared. 

Many  wigwams  can  be  set  up  to  make  the  village. 
These  may  be  made  as  in  the  midst  of  a  forest,  by  the 
mountain-side,  or  on  the  prairies.  You  can  make  the 
Indian  setting  according  to  the  material  you  have  at 
hand.  In  the  center  of  the  settlement  there  was  always 
an  area  where  a  large  bonfire  would  burn  when  the  In- 
dian chief  and  his  council  held  a  meeting.  On  festive 
occasions,  when  they  painted  their  faces  and  bodies  and 
had  gay-colored  quill  feathers  adorning  their  hair  or  at- 
tached to  their  robes,  they  would  dance  wildly  around 
the  fire.  Tiny  hen  or  bird  feathers  can  be  dipped  in  red, 

112 


TOY-TOWN  VILLAGES 

green,  or  purple  ink,  then  pasted  on  these  dolls  to  repre- 
sent the  Indian  warrior.  Some  tribes  of  Indians  had 
horses.  Here  is  an  opportunity  to  cut  out  horses  of 
brown  paper.  They  may  be  tied  to  posts  near  the  wig- 
wams. From  time  to  time  add  to  the  primitive  scene 
some  new  article  which  has  been  made  as  a  result  of 
suggestions  gathered  in  reading,  study,  or  conversation. 

LANDING  OF  THE  PILGRIMS 

No  less  important  than  the  Indians  were  the  brave  band 
of  Pilgrims  who,  because  of  persecutions  and  trials, 
sought  freedom  on  the  New  England  shores  in  1620. 
The  small  child,  with  whom  we  are  living  as  we  read 
these  pages,  cannot  appreciate  far  distant  or  past  time. 
There  is,  to  him,  however,  a  fascination  about  the  story 
which  begins  "Once  upon  a  time."  True  also  is  an  in- 
born sense  of  family  relationship;  and,  listening  to  the 
stories  Grandma  and  Grandpa  tell  of  their  childhood,  it 
is  proper  and  advisable  to  let  the  child  know  that  once 
upon  a  time  there  were  some  grandmas  and  grandpas 
who  were  very  brave  when  they  were  young.  They 
sailed  many,  many  days,  not  knowing  when  they  would 
come  to  land.  The  story  of  the  landing  of  the  Pilgrims, 
of  their  first  years  of  want  and  struggle,  of  their  meet- 
ing with  the  Indians,  should  be  on  the  lips  of  the  world 
to-day.  Correct  and  interesting  accounts  may  be  found 
in  all  hbraries.  This  story  offers  material  easily  devel- 
oped and  interpreted  by  means  of  toy  construction. 

In  a  large  flat  box  place  dirt  or  sand,  working  it  over 
to  make  the  irregular  shore  of  Cape  Cod.  The  bottom  of 
the  box  can  be  painted  blue,  or  paper  can  be  crayoned 

113 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

blue  and  tacked  on  the  wood  to  represent  water  and 
introduce  the  coming  of  the  ship  Mayflower.  The  ship 
can  be  whittled  out  of  wood,  with  masts  of  toothpicks 
and  with  square  sails  made  of  paper  or  cloth.  One  can 
also  be  made  of  paper  folding  it  as  described  in  Chap- 
ter II.  This  the  child  will  wish  to  place  on  the  water 
headed  for  shore.  Interesting  in  detail  would  be  the 
placing  of  a  few  small  stones  along  the  shore  and  one 
larger  one  which  could  be  called  '* Plymouth  Rock"  and 
noted  as  the  first  one  stepped  upon  in  landing. 

The  Pilgrim  men  immediately  had  to  hew  down  the 
trees  to  make  log  cabins  for  their  families  to  live  in.  The 
paper-fold  house  described  earlier  in  the  chapter  will 
answer  for  these  cabins  if  with  a  brown  crayon  the  roof 
and  sides  are  drawn  upon  to  resemble  logs.  A  chimney 
should  be  made  at  one  end  of  the  house  starting  wide 
at  the  ground  and  growing  narrow  as  it  rises  above  the 
roof.  This  primitive  village  had  one  road  along  the 
shore  and  going  up  a  hill,  so  make  and  place  a  dozen 
cabins  in  such  a  fashion.  In  the  center  of  the  group  and 
on  the  opposite  side  was  the  leader's  house.  He  was 
called  the  "Governor"  and  had  a  larger  house,  with  a 
high  fence  around  it  making  a  shelter  in  case  of  attack 
by  Indians.  On  top  of  the  hill  was  a  very  plain  cabin 
which  was  called  the  "Fort,"  and  here  the  men  took 
turns  looking  out  to  sea  watching  for  any  ship  that 
might  come  their  way,  or  else  they  would  look  toward 
the  forest  back  of  them.  The  Indians  did  not  under- 
stand them  at  first  and  therefore  were  not  to  be  trusted. 

Quite  impressive  is  the  description  of  that  first 
Thanksgiving  Day  when  in  a  friendly  spirit  Chief  Mas- 

114 


TOY-TOWN  VILLAGES 

sasoit  and  his  council  came  to  a  feast  of  the  white  man. 
Long  wooden  tables,  which  were  piled  high  with  good 
things  to  eat,  can  be  made  of  folded  paper  and  chairs,  or 
even  stools  can  be  made  to  be  put  about  the  table.  If 
the  story  is  vividly  described,  the  child  will  want  paper 
dolls  made  to  represent  well-known  characters  such  as 
Governor  Bradford,  Miles  Standish,  or  John  Alden  and 
Priscilla  Mullens.  Pictures  can  be  found  from  which  to 
copy  the  style  of  dress  worn  by  the  men  and  women  at 
that  time.  Significant  features  were  the  strange  black 
hats,  with  tall  crowns,  wide  brims,  and  a  buckle,  worn 
by  the  men,  while  the  women  were  clothed  in  simple, 
quiet,  gray  dresses  adorned  by  white  kerchiefs  about 
their  necks.  The  month  of  November  would  be  an  op- 
portune time  to  work  out  this  project,  when  a  strong 
impression  is  made  by  the  time  of  rejoicing  and  giving 
thanks  to  the  God,  who  not  only  blessed  the  Pilgrims, 
but  has  ever  watched  over  the  generations  which  have 
followed. 

CHINESE  VILLAGE 

Through  travel,  commerce,  education,  and  friendly 
spirit  we  of  to-day  are  becoming  acquainted  with  foreign 
nations.  Right  impressions  should  be  given  to  the  youth 
in  the  home  and  school  by  first-hand  knowledge  of  these 
other  countries.  Because  of  the  thousands  of  years 
which  passed  before  our  introduction  to  these  neighbors 
across  the  water,  and  because  our  language,  customs, 
and  life  differ  so  widely,  a  study  of  each  other  is  essential 
to  a  common  understanding.  With  the  little  children 
this  method  through  building  and  constructing  seems  a 

115 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

natural  medium.  Each  country  has  its  own  interesting 
features  which  can  be  found  by  reading,  seeing  pictures, 
and  Hstening  to  lecturers.  A  wise  mother  will  store  up 
for  the  future  material  relevant  to  certain  subjects 
which  she  can  use  later  to  help  her  children  in  a 
practical  way  and  in  their  study  of  other  countries. 
Every  country  has  suggestions  for  us,  and  the  children 
of  to-day  must  not  grow  up  in  ignorance  of  them. 

In  the  illustration  is  seen  a  representation  of  life  in  the 
world's  oldest  empire,  China.  The  buildings  represent 
shops,  geisha  tea-rooms,  a  monkey  shrine,  and  a  pagoda. 
The  houses  are  made  of  heavy  paper  and  put  together 
like  the  house-fold  previously  described.  The  wide  front 
doors  are  cut  out  and  Chinese  lanterns  are  made  and 
hung  from  overhead  with  coarse  thread.  The  building 
with  a  cage  in  front  is  called  a  monkey  shrine.  The 
Chinese  in  their  worship  believe  that  the  souls  of  their 
ancestors  may  come  back  to  life  in  another  form;  there- 
fore even  animals  are  carved  in  wood  or  ivory  and  wor- 
shiped as  idols.  This  shrine  is  cut  from  paper,  and  sev- 
eral small  ivory  monkeys  are  placed  behind  the  paper 
bars. 

The  tower  is  a  pagoda  or  form  of  temple.  In  the  Far 
East,  as  India,  China,  and  Burma,  these  sacred  towers 
are  built  in  connection  with  a  temple  or  often  alone. 
Sometimes  a  saint  or  precious  relics  of  Buddha  were 
buried  beneath,  but  to-day  the  towers  are  built  by  some 
pious  man  who  hopes  by  so  doing  that  good  luck  will 
come  to  the  village.  It  is  made  as  follows :  first,  take  a 
long,  narrow  piece  of  paper,  folding  it  to  make  a  four- 
sided  pyramid.   Take  squares  of  varying  sizes  and  cut 

116 


TOY-TOWN  VILLAGES 

out  a  square  in  the  center  large  enough  to  slip  down  the 
distance  desired  on  the  tower.  Grade  five  or  more  differ- 
ent squares  up  to  the  top,  giving  the  effect  of  many- 
stories.  Pinch  corners  of  the  squares  a  little  so  they  will 
droop  slightly  in  true  Chinese  style. 

These  i>eople  are  not  advanced  in  the  use  of  modern 
conveniences  as  is  seen  by  the  hand-saw,  the  boy  carry- 
ing heavy  burdens  of  merchandise,  and  the  hand- 
plough  drawn  by  the  ox.  On  the  rivers  are  seen  the 
gondola  type  of  hand-paddled  boats  for  transportation. 
This  is  a  collection  of  souvenirs  brought  from  China. 
Such  articles  as  these,  when  arranged  upon  a  table  or 
box,  will  give  knowledge  of  the  life  in  the  country  from 
which  they  came. 

The  Chinese  are  lovers  of  color,  flowers,  and  all  na- 
ture. This  would  not  be  a  typical  scene,  therefore,  with- 
out the  garden  in  the  foreground.  Moss  brought  from 
the  woods  was  solidly  packed  around  and  in  an  old  tin 
plate  filled  with  water.  Violet  plants,  anemone,  and 
bluets  were  also  planted  in  this  pond.  Islands  of  moss 
were  joined  by  little  bridges  and  tiny  Chinese  figures  of 
coolies,  storks,  ducks,  turtles,  and  a  bamboo  house  were 
placed  about.  For  many  days  this  little  garden  will  live 
if  continually  watered.  With  the  constructing  of  this 
pretty  village  and  caring  for  it,  your  child  is  going  to 
live  with  the  Chinese  in  spirit. 

DUTCH  VILLAGE 

From  the  Orient  let  us  pass  to  a  European  friend,  the 
little  country  of  Holland.  The  average  town  here  is  a 
quaint  little  place  with  bright  roofs,  green  gardens, 

117 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

dikes,  blue  waterways,  gay  flowers,  and  windmills. 
There  are  many  dikes  made  of  stones  which  are  covered 
with  a  natural  green  substance  that  looks  like  paint. 
These  dikes,  which  are  always  tended  and  watched  by 
some  one,  receive  through  pipes  the  drainage  of  the 
houses  and  also  the  supply  of  drinking  and  washing 
waters. 

Up  and  down  the  canals,  over  which  attractive  little 
bridges  are  built,  sail  or  are  drawn  the  low  wooden 
boats.  Running  parallel  with  these  canals  are  well-laid- 
out  streets,  bordered  with  well-built  and  well-kept,  at- 
tractive houses. 

The  houses  are  for  the  most  part  alike,  and  a  descrip- 
tion of  one  will  do  for  all.  The  house  is  generally  painted 
red  or  some  other  bright  color.  The  great  roof  is 
thatched  or  tiled  in  regular  ornamental  patterns.  Many 
pretty  little  parks  are  found  about  the  houses  which  are 
well  cared  for  and  filled  with  gay  flowers. 

The  Dutch  women  dress  in  long,  full  skirts  covered 
with  an  equally  full  white  apron  from  under  which 
protrude  the  large  wooden  shoes.  Over  the  shoulders  a 
kerchief  is  folded.  The  head  is  adorned  with  a  white 
"Dutch"  bonnet.  The  men  are  dressed  in  long,  full 
trousers  and  a  jacket  of  bright  colors.  They  wear  the 
customary  wooden  shoes  and  blue  cap. 

In  making  this  village,  fill  the  low  box  with  dirt  or 
sand,  building  up  the  dikes  on  each  side  of  a  waterway. 
The  water  may  be  represented  by  the  painted  blue  bot- 
tom board  of  the  box,  or  painted  blue  paper,  or  blue 
tissue  paper.  The  bridge  can  be  made  of  wood  or  card- 
board.   Make  the  houses  from  the  original  paper-fold 

118 


TOY-TOWN  VILLAGES 

and  paint  the  roofs  red.  Make  window  boxes  with  paper 
flowers  in  them.  The  well-known  windmill  gives  the 
finishing  touch  to  the  Dutch  scene.  This  can  be  pat- 
terned from  the  illustration  here  or  from  one  found  in 
another  chapter  of  this  volume. 

Dolls  can  be  dressed  in  the  costumes  of  the  people  or 
dolls  can  be  cut  from  paper  and  painted,  and  then  comes 
the  fun  of  playing  with  our  little  Dutch  friends  in  their 
home  town. 

With  these  suggestions  one  can  pass  from  one  country 
to  another  till  in  time  the  whole  universe  has  been  trav- 
eled on  top  of  the  playroom  table.  Old  and  young  peo- 
ple alike  have  learned  much  as  well  as  enjoyed  many 
absorbing  hours. 

BIBLE  STORIES 

When  a  stormy  Sunday  comes  and  it  is  impossible  to  go 
to  church,  remember  this  large  flat  box  and  see  what 
can  be  done  with  the  lesson  by  illustration.  The  story  of 
baby  Moses  found  in  the  bulrushes  lends  itself  easily  to 
this  work.  Make  a  river  through  the  center  of  the  sand. 
With  green  crayon  color  paper  which  is  to  be  cut  after- 
wards into  narrow  strips  giving  the  effect  of  the  tall 
grasses.  In  making  the  grass,  cut  to  within  a  half -inch 
of  the  other  side  so  you  will  have  a  row  of  grasses  to  be 
embedded  in  the  sand.  Many  rows  of  this  will  be 
needed  to  give  a  dense  effect  beside  the  river.  Fold  a 
piece  of  brown  paper  to  make  a  basket  in  which  is  put 
the  baby  doll.  Perhaps  among  the  playroom  treasures  a 
small  candy  basket  can  be  found  for  the  baby's  cradle. 

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CHILDHEN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

The  landscape  should  have  a  few  trees  scattered  here 
and  there,  and  in  the  distance  some  buildings  represent- 
ing the  king's  palace  and  other  smaller  dwellings.  The 
characters  in  the  story  should  be  cut  from  heavy  paper 
so  that  they  will  stand  in  the  sand.  Paint  the  robes  with 
bright  Oriental  colors.  The  Princess  and  her  servants 
are  down  by  the  river's  edge  where  they  find  the  baby. 
On  the  opposite  bank  of  the  river  and  at  some  distance 
is  Moses'  sister  Miriam,  who  with  their  mother  is 
watching  over  him.  While  making  the  picture  tell  the 
story  to  the  children  and  let  them  discuss  all  points  in 
detail. 

There  are  many  stories  in  the  Bible  which  can  be 
learned  and  enjoyed  in  this  manner.  There  is  the  mak- 
ing of  Noah's  Ark;  Moses  and  the  Israelites  crossing  the 
Red  Sea;  and  stories  of  Joseph  and  of  David.  In  the 
New  Testament  the  vision  of  the  Shepherds,  the  Wise 
Men  visiting  the  Manger,  and  many  other  stories  depict- 
ing the  life  and  good  works  of  Jesus  and  His  disciples  in 
the  Holy  Land. 


X 

THE  SCRAPBOOK 

HAVING  once  acquired  the  art  of  cutting,  the  fas- 
cination never  ceases  even  to  all  ages.  It  is, 
therefore,  wise  to  keep  enough  material  on  hand  so  that 
little  fingers  may  have  enough  to  do.  Find  a  place 
somewhere  in  the  home  where  old  magazines  may  be 
stored  and  yet  be  accessible.  There  are  so  many  maga- 
zines published  (the  post-office  service  is  so  extensive 
that  the  smallest  corner  of  the  universe  may  be  reached) 
that  subscribing  for  a  publication  should  not  be  con- 
sidered a  luxury,  but  an  educational  factor  for  young 
and  old.  Children  never  tire  of  returning  to  the  back 
numbers,  and  of  course  some  pictures  are  more  appeal- 
ing to  them  than  others.  These  they  would  like  to 
preserve  and  so  the  scrapbook  comes  into  existence. 
Inexpensive  scrapbooks  may  be  purchased,  but  most 
children  are  well  satisfied  with  those  they  make  them- 
selves or  with  the  assistance  of  Mother  or  Big  Sister. 
A  heavy  paper  called  "mounting"  or  '* construction" 
paper  can  be  purchased  in  large  sheets  which  should  be 
cut  into  four  parts,  folded  in  the  middle,  thus  making 
two  leaves  of  each  piece.  If  the  large  sheet  is  24  X  36 
inches,  cutting  in  the  way  described,  there  will  be  four 
parts  24  X  9  inches.  Put  the  four  sheets  together  and 
fasten  down  the  center  fold  with  brass  pins,  or  tie  with 
raffia  or  worsted.  For  this  purpose  choose  paper  of  soft 
gray,  brown,  dark  green,  or  black,  as  these  colors  make 

121 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

a  better  background  for  pictures.  A  still  less  expensive 
book  to  prepare  is  the  one  made  from  brown  wrapping- 
paper  smoothed  out  by  a  warm  iron.  Make  in  the  same 
way  as  described,  having  any  dimension  of  paper  de- 
sired, remembering  to  make  the  length  twice  as  long  as 
the  book  will  be  when  finished,  then  you  can  make  the 
fold  in  the  center. 

There  is  an  opportunity  for  training  the  child's  eye  in 
regard  to  good  taste,  choice,  and  color  of  pictures  while 
arranging  a  page.  Do  not  crowd  them  together  or  have 
different  ideas  mixed  on  the  same  page.  Have  a  page 
with  flowers  and  another  with  automobiles,  another 
with  animals;  but  all  three  subjects,  while  good  in  them- 
selves, detract  from  each  other  when  together,  and  are 
not  at  all  artistic. 

The  wondrous  postcards  which  have  grown  in  favor 
the  past  few  years  lend  their  part  in  the  development  of 
scrapbooks.  I  believe  that  they  need  to  be  in  a  book  set 
apart  by  themselves.  In  the  first  place,  being  of  a  heav- 
ier paper  than  that  cut  from  a  magazine,  they  do  not 
look  well  together.  Further,  their  high  coloring  often 
does  not  blend  with  other  pictures  and  they  seem  to  tell 
a  personal  story  all  their  own,  as  coming  from  friends 
who  are  traveling  or  visiting. 

Such  attractive  scrapbooks  may  be  made  for  the 
nine-months-old  baby,  using  material  that  will  not 
tear,  but  will  stand  the  reckless  treatment  of  tiny 
hands.  Baby  enjoys  looking  at  books,  and  as  he  has 
not  learned  either  the  control  of  his  hands  or  the 
proper  use  of  books,  the  books  he  does  get  hold  of  are 
generally  in  sad  condition  soon.  He  needs  a  book  of  his 

122 


THE  SCRAPBOOK 

own,  one  expressly  made  for  him  that  he  can  enjoy  and 
not  harm.  One  of  the  most  useful  to  give  him  is  a  book 
made  of  holland  window-shade  material.  You  can  buy 
it  anywhere  that  window  shades  are  sold,  and  they  will 
cut  it  for  you  any  dimension  you  wish.  A  good-sized 
book  can  be  made  from  one  yard  of  material,  and  the 
edges  are  best  finished  with  the  blanket  stitch.  Heavy 
cambric  serves  well,  as  the  edges  of  a  page  can  be 
snipped  all  round  in  points  with  scissors.  From  the  box 
of  left-over  cotton  materials,  select  some  denim  or 
khaki  cloth.  Make  any  size  page  the  cloth  affords,  but 
one  6X8  inches  or  8  X  10  inches  makes  a  book  which 
is  easy  for  the  tiny  child  to  hold.  Around  the  edges  of 
these  pages  work  a  coarse  buttonhole  stitch  with 
worsted.  Glue  should  be  used  in  making  this  book,  as  it 
adheres  to  the  cloth  better  than  paste.  Use  much  care 
in  putting  the  pictures  in  so  that  the  entire  edge  is  se- 
curely sealed.  Thus  the  baby  cannot  raise  the  picture 
from  its  place.  One  picture  on  a  page  of  a  small  book  is 
sufficient  for  a  child  to  look  at,  talk  to,  and  tell  wonder- 
ful stories  about  in  his  childish  glee.  The  pictures 
should  be  chosen  to  suit  the  baby's  world  of  knowledge 
and  experience.  Pictures  of  animals,  flowers,  children, 
mothers  and  fathers,  and  home  activities  are  interesting 
to  the  little  ones.  When  choosing  pictures,  the  size  of 
the  objects  and  general  simplicity  of  their  forms  should 
be  taken  into  consideration. 

Six  attractive  book  designs  are  given  here  as  examples 
of  good  taste  as  well  as  representing  materials  found  in- 
side the  home.  One  is  made  of  green  paper,  fairly  heavy 
in  weight.  The  tulip  border  and  boy  were  cut  from  the 

123 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

front  cover  of  a  magazine.  Another  is  made  of  plain 
brown  wrapping-paper  with  a  cut-out  figure  pasted  on. 
The  lettering  is  well  done  by  a  mature  hand.  There  is 
one  made  of  green  denim  with  coarse  blanket  stitch 
holding  the  edges  from  raveling.  Every  child  would 
fasten  his  eyes  on  the  brown  denim  book  cut  in  the 
shape  of  a  bunny  with  a  white  pompom  made  for  a  tail. 
The  gray  cambric  is  neatly  put  together  at  the  side,  and 
the  edges  of  the  pages  are  snipped  off  as  a  finish.  The 
small  orange  cambric  book  with  its  black  cat  comes 
in  for  its  share  of  good  points.  It  is  an  easy  size  for  a 
tiny  child  to  hold.  The  color  is  attractive,  and  best  of 
all,  it  is  well  finished.  Each  page  is  made  double,  the 
seams  coming  on  the  inside  so  that  the  edge  is  finished 
of  itself. 

For  an  older  child  the  scrapbook  becomes  a  memory 
book  or  place  to  preserve  treasures  of  his  own  work. 
Pictures  that  he  has  drawn  with  pencil,  colored  crayons, 
or  water-color  painting,  and  paper-cut  designs,  all  find 
their  places  in  this  book.  I  cannot  refrain  from  speaking 
here  of  the  great  joy  and  comfort  which  are  derived 
from  scrapbooks  as  gifts.  Here  is  one  of  Mother's  great- 
est opportunities  to  instill  in  the  minds  of  Httle  folks  the 
joy  of  doing  for  some  one  else.  This  missionary  spirit  is 
keen,  once  it  is  awakened,  and  the  gift  of  scrapbooks  to 
hospital  children,  or  filUng  boxes  for  foreign  lands, 
brings  joy  to  the  children  who  give  and  gladness  to 
those  who  receive. 

The  Sunday  afternoon  hours  which  are  so  often  prob- 
lems to  the  mother  can  be  filled  with  wholesome  occupa- 
tion in  the  making  of  scrapbooks.   The  questions  and 

124 


SCRAPBOOKS 


THE  SCRAPBOOK 

discussions  which  would  arise  over  each  picture  chosen 
would  be  of  great  educational  value.  This  is  a  time 
when  the  parent  gains  much  in  comradeship  with  the 
child  as  well  as  the  occasion  to  give  the  child  information 
of  value.  Years  afterward  recalling  the  memories  of 
such  Sunday  afternoons  will  be  cherished  as  the  founda- 
tion building  of  right  and  wholesome  thoughts  and  prin- 
ciples in  the  minds  of  many  men  and  women, 

STORY-BOOK 

An  interesting  book  to  make  is  the  illustrating  of  a 
story  by  means  of  cutting  out  pictures  or  words  which 
pertain  to  the  subject  at  hand.  For  example,  sand- 
wiches are  being  passed  for  luncheon,  and  bread  becomes 
the  subject  of  conversation.  In  the  scrapbook  its  pro- 
cess of  development  can  be  worked  out  with  interest  by 
placing  on  the  first  page  a  picture  of  a  field  in  which  a 
man  is  ploughing.  The  next  page  a  picture  of  a  wheat- 
field  in  all  its  beauty.  Next  comes  an  illustration  of  a 
machine  which  cuts  the  wheat  down  and  binds  it.  Per- 
haps a  picture  of  a  threshing  machine  can  be  found,  too. 
The  mill  where  wheat  is  taken  for  grinding  comes  next, 
then  a  picture  of  a  barrel  of  flour.  The  child  of  to-day 
thinks  of  the  purchasing  of  groceries  at  the  store,  there- 
fore he  will  want  to  add  a  picture  of  a  grocery  store  to 
his  collection.  In  the  advertising  columns  of  magazines 
one  can  easily  find  pictures  of  the  cook  making  bread 
and  putting  it  into  the  oven.  The  crisp  loaf  of  bread  cut 
into  slices  and  happy  children  eating  bread  and  jam  are 
found  in  illustrations,  too.  With  their  bright  eyes  chil- 
dren will  quickly  find  pictures  of  almost  any  subject  you 

125 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

are  willing  to  discuss  with  them.  Such  books,  compiled 
in  this  way,  would  be  worthy  of  perusing  by  all  ages. 

PUZZLE  PICTURE  BOOKS 

For  the  child  who  is  old  enough  to  read,  the  following  is 
an  interesting  occupation:  Take  a  short  story,  write  a 
few  words,  and  when  a  picture  can  illustrate  the  next 
word  cut  it  out  from  some  advertisement  and  paste  it  in 
the  place  where  the  word  would  naturally  be  written. 
For  example,  write,  "This  is  the  (dog)  that  worried  the 
(cat)  that  ate  the  (rat),"  etc.  The  dog,  cat,  and  rat 
would  be  pictures.  This  work  not  only  keeps  the  chil- 
dren busy  writing  words,  finding  pictures,  and  cutting 
them  out,  but  they  become  familiar  with  the  subjects 
and  story  too.  When  these  books  are  well  done,  they 
too  give  pleasure  to  the  little  patients  of  hospitals. 

CUT  PUZZLE  PICTURE  BOOK 

To  the  convalescing  child  who  can  sit  up  and  paste  pic- 
tures, give  a  blank  book  ready  to  be  filled.  Now  take  a 
pretty  postcard,  cut  it  up  into  eight  or  ten  irregular 
pieces,  and  carefully  place  the  pieces  in  an  envelope  and 
seal.  Send  with  your  book  as  many  sealed  cut-up  pic- 
tures as  there  are  pages  to  fill.  This  idea  serves  two 
purposes:  first,  with  one  envelope  at  a  time  the  child 
must  work  out  the  puzzle  on  a  table  beside  him;  sec- 
ondly, when  this  is  completed  he  then  can  have  the  fun 
of  pasting  the  pieces  in  correct  position  on  the  page  of 
the  book.  Thus  the  entire  process  will  take  up  many 
hours  that  might  otherwise  be  restless  and  unhappy. 
Children  will  also  take  great  pleasure  in  preparing  the 

126 


THE  SCRAPBOOK 

sealed  envelopes  of  cut-up  pictures  which  might  well 
serve  for  a  Christmas  or  birthday  present. 

DOLL-HOUSE  SCRAPBOOK 

The  doll-house  scrapbook  has  its  fad  with  every  little 
girl.  A  catalogue  of  a  large  furniture  store  has  page  after 
page  of  pictures  from  which  to  choose  the  furniture  of 
different  rooms.  Any  furniture  store  of  a  large  city  will 
send  a  catalogue  upon  request.  A  double  page  of  a 
scrapbook  is  called  a  room.  Appropriate  furniture  for 
the  living-room,  dining-room,  kitchen,  bedrooms,  and 
even  playrooms  is  selected,  cut  out,  arranged,  and  pasted 
on  the  pages,  and  it  seems  quite  like  a  real  home. 
Dolls  cut  out  from  fashion  plates,  home-made  or  bought, 
may  come  to  live  in  this  house,  passing  from  room  to 
room  as  the  pages  are  turned.  In  this  compact  book 
form,  the  doll-house  can  be  carried  to  call  on  a  friend, 
carried  on  a  journey,  or  packed  in  a  trunk.  Elaborate 
books  can  be  purchased,  which  are  all  prepared  to  be 
cut  out  with  instructions  as  to  placing  of  furniture,  but 
the  home-made  scrapbook  is  quite  as  dear  to  the  heart 
of  the  little  girl  because  she  worked  and  planned  it  her- 
self. 

PAPER  DOLLS 

There  must  be  people  to  live  in  this  scrapbook  doll- 
house,  and  a  family  must  be  created.  These  can  be 
chosen  from  the  advertising  columns  of  magazines,  es- 
pecially the  fashion  books.  Skill  with  the  scissors  is 
quite  essential  to  cut  some  of  the  figures,  and  the  chil- 
dren may  ask  for  assistance,  but  they  will  spend  many 

127 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

happy  hours  at  this  occupation.  The  universal  demand 
for  paper  dolls  is  so  great  that  even  daily  and  Sunday 
papers  have  printed,  in  colors,  dolls  with  their  ward- 
robes. Many  women's  journals  have  set  apart  pages  de- 
voted to  paper  dolls'  patterns,  furniture,  scenery,  and 
animals.  Paper  dolls  and  their  sets  of  clothes  can  be 
purchased  either  to  be  cut  out  or  already  cut  and  ready 
to  be  played  with.  These  make  excellent  gifts  and  are 
very  much  enjoyed,  but  often  the  dolly  that  is  loved  the 
best  is  home-made.  A  favorite  picture  of  a  child  can  be 
traced  and  retraced  upon  heavy  cardboard.  On  thinner 
paper  draw  a  dress  much  the  shape  of  the  doll.  Once 
Mother  makes  a  pattern,  many  dresses  of  a  variety  may 
be  made  by  using  colored  crayons  or  water-colors. 
Usually  the  little  girl  designs  dresses  similar  to  her  own. 
Wall-paper  is  used  for  dresses  or  for  suits  for  the  boy 
paper  doll.  More  elaborately  made  dolls'  dresses  may 
be  made  from  crepe  paper.  Cut  from  white  paper  the 
shape  of  the  dress  and  paste  colored  crepe  paper  on  as  is 
desired.  An  entire  outfit  of  this  material  with  directions 
for  making  is  put  out  by  the  Dennison  Paper  Company, 
Boston. 

A  most  interesting  family  of  dolls,  representing  differ- 
ent countries,  can  be  made  which  will  not  only  serve  for 
pleasure,  but  for  educational  purposes.  From  maga- 
zines, especially  missionary  publications,  these  designs 
can  be  traced  from  pictures  as  before  suggested.  The 
costumes  may  be  colored  with  crayons  or  paints  or  be 
made  of  tissue  paper.  Stories  should  be  told  with  each 
dolly  which  describe  manners  and  customs  of  the  coun- 
try which  it  represents.   The  "Everyland  Magazine," 

128 


THE  SCRAPBOOK 

156  Fifth  Avenue,  New  York  City,  furnishes  a  wealth 
of  material  especially  adapted  for  the  use  of  children  of 
all  ages. 

Dolls  can  be  cut  out  from  a  piece  of  paper  folded  over, 
one  side  being  drawn  and  cut  on  the  double.  When  the 
fold  is  opened  the  whole  doll  will  be  there.  Many  folds 
made  from  a  long  piece  of  paper  and  cut  in  the  same 
manner  will  become  a  row  of  dolls  joined  together  when 
opened.  Simple  amusement  like  this  will  delight  a 
young  child  even  though  he  cannot  do  it  himself.  Paper 
dolls,  which  will  easily  represent  little  playmates  in  the 
child's  imagination,  may  be  made  from  pieces  of  paper, 
by  folding,  as  follows : 

THE  MAKING  OF  JACK  AND  JILL 

Take  a  piece  of  manila  paper  seven  inches  long,  six 
inches  wide.  Make  the  book  fold,  then  fold  over  again, 
making  the  shape  seven  inches  long  and  one  and  a  half 
inches  wide.  Take  another  piece  of  paper  six  inches 
long,  four  inches  wide,  and  fold  in  the  same  manner, 
having  it  six  inches  long  and  one  inch  wide  when  folded. 
Place  the  narrow  piece  of  paper  at  right  angles  on  top  of 
the  wider  piece  and  one  and  a  half  inches  down  from  the 
top.  Take  a  piece  of  red  string  twelve  inches  long.  Bring 
it  from  the  back  to  the  front,  cross  the  two  ends  at  the 
center  and  down  over  the  narrow  strip,  carrying  it  to 
the  back  again  and  tie.  The  top  of  the  paper  repre- 
sents the  doll's  head,  on  which  draw,  with  crayons, 
brown  hair,  a  nose,  eyes,  and  mouth.  The  cross-piece 
of  paper  represents  the  arms.  Color  these  as  blue 
sleeves.  With  scissors  cut  each  end  in  curved  lines  to 

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CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

make  the  hands.  Cut  up  through  center  from  the  bot- 
tom edge  about  one  and  a  half  inches  to  make  the 
legs.  A  few  strokes  of  black  crayon  on  these  will  rep- 
resent shoes  and  stockings.  Color  the  rest  of  the  paper 
to  match  sleeves  and  complete  the  suit.  Jack  is  now 
complete. 

Jill  is  made  in  the  same  fashion,  but  make  her  dress 
and  sleeves  another  color.  Her  dress  goes  to  the  very- 
bottom,  so  no  legs  will  be  cut  on  this  doll.  These  dolls, 
as  you  see,  can  be  made  on  short  notice  and  at  a  time 
when  only  this  simple  material  is  obtainable. 


XI 
TOY-MAKING 

A  CHILD'S  play  is  necessarily  imitation  of  things 
he  sees;  therefore,  if  his  toys  are  to  be  of  any  use 
to  him,  they  must  bear  some  actual  relation  to  the  world 
in  which  he  lives.  The  toys  that  will  be  most  instructive 
are  those  that  are  made  by  him,  and  the  crude  toys  that 
are  made  in  the  playroom  with  materials  at  hand  are 
dearest  to  his  heart. 

Every  child,  therefore,  should  have  raw  materials 
placed  about  him,  and  with  a  few  complete  toys  in  his 
possession  as  an  incentive  and  as  models,  he  will  be 
happy  and  busy  all  the  day. 

Children  are  often  destructive  because  the  elaborate 
toy  given  them  must  be  examined.  They  want  to  find 
out  how  it  is  put  together.  The  finished  toy  placed  in 
their  hands  soon  loses  its  interest,  and  they  turn  from  it 
to  something  new.  A  train  of  cars  made  from  spools, 
sticks,  and  cardboard  boxes  will  give  infinitely  more 
pleasure  than  the  train  of  cars  which  require  a  knowl- 
edge of  engineering  to  run.  An  incident  in  real  life  may 
exemplify  the  foregoing  truth. 

There  were  two  boys  each  being  the  only  child  of 
adoring  parents.  Financially  these  parents  were  able  to 
gratify  the  desires  of  the  children  for  toys,  and  to  lavish 
every  possible  gift  on  them.  After  having  seen  many 
dollars'  worth  of  toys  thrown  aside  as  useless,  one  boy's 
play-room  was  provided  with  a  small  carpenter's  bench, 

131 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

a  set  of  tools,  nails  of  various  sizes,  a  bundle  of  laths, 
and  some  soft  pine.  That  boy  was  the  king  of  the  neigh- 
borhood. Callers  were  sometimes  led  to  believe  that  the 
upper  part  of  the  house  was  being  reconstructed,  but 
the  reconstruction  was  in  the  nerves  of  a  small,  over- 
stimulated  boy. 

One  day  the  mother  of  the  other  little  boy  was  calling 
at  this  home  and  asked  to  see  their  son's  playroom,  say- 
ing: "I  do  not  see  what  you  can  have  in  it  that  be- 
witches my  boy;  the  moment  he  is  out  of  bed  he  wants 
to  come  over  here;  he  cries  when  he  has  to  come  home; 
and  yet  there  is  n't  anything  made  for  boys  that  you 
can't  find  in  his  playroom.  Only  the  other  night  his 
father  brought  him  home  a  train  of  cars  that  cost 
twenty  dollars.  Of  course  he  cannot  play  with  them 
himself,  because  you  have  to  have  alcohol  to  make  them 
go;  but  his  father  plays  with  him  every  night  and  morn- 
ing; yet  he  does  n't  care  a  fig  for  those  toys." 

The  two  mothers  went  to  the  bright,  sunny  room  at 
the  top  of  the  house.  Every  toy  that  had  been  bought 
and  given  to  the  small  boy  was  in  its  proper  place  on  the 
shelves;  but  the  room  was  littered  with  shavings  and 
chips  of  wood.  The  boys  were  wildly  excited  over  the 
building  of  a  henhouse.  Probably  there  was  not  a  hen 
within  four  miles  of  that  home,  but  that  made  no  differ- 
ence to  the  boys;  they  were  n't  interested  so  much  in 
the  occupant  as  in  the  construction  of  the  house. 

Until  one's  attention  is  called  to  the  fact,  one  is  sur- 
prised at  the  store  of  supplies  found  in  the  waste-basket. 
Empty  boxes,  spools,  silver  foil,  and  pieces  of  cloth  are 
some  materials  always  to  be  found  in  the  home. 

132 


TOY-MAKING 

The  accompanying  illustrations  give  much  food  for 
thought  with  the  foremost  idea  in  mind  that  no  money 
need  be  spent  if  the  garret  has  not  been  too  thoroughly 
house-cleaned. 

CLOCKS 

Early  in  the  child's  life  he  becomes  enamoured  of 
clocks.  From  the  big  grandfather's  clock  in  the  hall  to 
the  little  watch  on  Mother's  wrist,  his  attention  is  al- 
ways called  to  the  "tick-tock."  WTiat  fun  it  is,  then,  to 
make  facsimiles  of  these  which  will  amuse  the  baby. 
There  is  the  kitchen  clock.  The  foundation  of  this  is  a 
small  empty  ribbon  bolt.  Cover  it  with  silver  foil,  which 
may  have  come  around  cream  cheeses,  chewing  gum,  or 
sweet  chocolate.  Push  two  brass  fasteners  through  the 
bottom  part,  which  will  represent  the  legs.  On  the  top, 
screw  in  a  brass  ring  for  a  handle.  The  face  of  the  clock 
may  be  drawn  carefully  on  a  piece  of  white  paper  and 
pasted  on  one  side;  if,  however,  you  search  diligently  in 
magazine  advertisements,  you  will  surely  find  faces  of 
watches  or  clocks  which  can  be  cut  out  and  used. 

There  are  two  types  of  grandfathers'  clocks  here  illus- 
trated. One  is  made  from  a  black,  heavy  cardboard 
box.  In  the  cover  part  is  cut  a  long  window,  through 
which  is  seen  the  pendulum.  The  face  is  pasted  above 
this  aperture.  The  pendulum  is  a  wooden  ball  tied  to  a 
string  which  is  attached  to  the  top  inside  the  box.  T^n- 
less  the  pendulum  is  made  of  something  with  weight,  it 
will  not  swing  sedately. 

The  other  clock  is  made  from  a  Nabisco  cracker-box. 
Cut  out  the  pendulum  window  from  one  long  side.  Cut 

133 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

up  an  inch  from  one  end  on  the  four  sides  between  each 
corner.  By  so  doing  the  legs  are  made  and  it  will  stand 
up.  The  top  of  the  clock  may  be  treated  in  the  same 
manner  as  ornamentation.  These  corners  cut  down  one 
half  inch.  Swing  a  pendulum  down  from  the  top  inside 
the  box.  A  clock-face  is  added  as  before  described  and  a 
very  attractive  clock  is  made  for  the  doll-house. 

As  a  child  grows  older  his  ^reat  desire  is  to  learn  to 
tell  time.  Perseverance  on  the  part  of  the  child  and  pa- 
tience from  Mother  and  Father  is  the  only  way  to  this 
victory. 

As  a  help  and  guide  it  is  suggested  that  a  simple 
dial  be  made  with  which  to  practice.  Make  a  circle 
about  four  inches  in  diam^eter  of  gray  cardboard.  On 
this  draw  in  with  coarse  black  figures  the  face  of  a  clock. 
Out  of  black  paper  cut  two  hands,  one  longer  than  the 
other,  and  each  three  eighths  of  an  inch  wide.  Fasten 
them  together  at  one  end  and  to  the  center  of  the  dial 
with  a  brass  fastener.  They  will  pivot  freely,  thereby 
giving  the  opportunity  to  use  the  hands  as  they  work  on 
a  real  clock.  The  child  can  now  turn  the  hands  to  all 
combinations  and  gain  his  knowledge  with  first-hand 
experience. 

DOLLS 

A  DOLL  is  the  oldest  and  best-loved  companion  from 
Toyland.  There  is  not  a  human  creature  of  this  world, 
whether  civilized  or  uncivilized,  whose  parent  love  in- 
stinct has  not  crept  out  in  childhood.  Even  a  piece  of 
wood  has  been  known  to  be  called  a  doll.  In  the  first 
chapter  a  few  nature  dolls  were  described,  elsewhere  the 

134 


HOME-MADE  CLOCKS 


TOY-MAKING 

paper  dolls  are  spoken  of;  and  once  more  we  find  some 
other  material  to  encourage  the  making  of  dolls. 

The  rag  doll  here  shown  is  made  of  rolled  white 
cloth.  Take  a  strip  of  cloth  four  inches  wide  and  a  yard 
and  a  haK  long  and  roll  it'  fairly  snug.  This  stands  for 
the  body.  About  an  inch  from  the  top  is  tied  a  thread  to 
make  the  neck.  Above  this  make  a  face  on  the  cloth 
with  paints  or  crayons.  Now  make  four  smaller  rolls  of 
cloth,  sewing  on  two  for  arms  near  the  neck  and  the 
other  two  on  the  other  end  of  the  body  for  two  legs. 
The  doll  is  now  ready  to  have  her  clothes  made  and  put 
on.  On  the  head  sew  a  mass  of  black  thread  ravelings 
which  will  look  like  curly  hair,  especially  when  a  hair 
ribbon  is  tied  on.  Sew  a  small  piece  of  black  cloth  on 
the  bottom  of  the  feet  to  look  like  shoes. 

This  pair  of  twins,  the  worsted  dolls,  are  attached  to 
the  ends  of  a  long  crocheted  chain  which  can  be  put 
around  the  baby's  neck.  To  make  the  dolls,  wind  sev- 
eral yards  of  worsted  over  a  piece  of  cardboard,  four 
inches  long.  Cut  the  worsted  off  the  card  at  one  end.  As 
the  worsted  slips  from  the  card,  keep  it  double  and  tie 
a  piece  of  worsted  around  the  top  to  make  the  head. 
Three  of  these  strands  can  be  pulled  out  to  braid  and 
hang  down  the  back  for  hair.  From  each  side  take  sev- 
eral strands,  tie  and  cut  shorter  for  arms.  Tie  again 
around  the  center  to  make  a  waist  line. 

Who  would  believe  that  clothespins  could  be  so  life- 
like !  The  girl  and  boy  appear  to  be  a  very  stylish  couple 
as  they  stand  up  side  by  side.  Water-color  paints  will 
make  the  faces  and  also  paint  the  boy's  suit  of  clothes 
right  on  the  wood  of  the  clothespin.  The  girl's  dress  is 

135 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

easily  made  and  fastened  to  the  neck  of  the  clothespin  as 
well  as  tied  around  the  waist  line.  The  hat  is  glued  to 
the  top  of  the  pin.  A  suggestion  for  Halloween  favors 
would  be  like  the  clothespin  doll  dressed  in  yellow  and 
black  crepe  paper. 

A  witch  doll  can  be  cleverly  made  by  taking  a  candy 
lollipop  for  a  foundation.  Take  a  piece  of  medium- 
weight  paper,  cut  it  in  circular  fashion,  and  tie  to  a 
stick  a  short  way  down  from  the  end.  The  paper  should 
come  to  the  end  of  the  candy  part  and  give  it  balance  so 
as  to  stand  up.  On  top  of  the  stick  put  a  marshmallow 
on  which  has  been  marked  a  face  with  hot  chocolate. 
Make  a  yellow  crepe-paper  dress,  tying  it  around  the 
neck  and  waist.  Over  this  put  on  a  black  crepe-paper 
cape.  Tie  a  few  whisks  from  the  broom  into  a  tiny  brush 
and  place  on  a  toothpick.  Stick  this  into  the  front  of  the 
dress.  The  hat  should  be  made  of  black  paper,  pointed 
at  the  top,  and  with  a  brim.  With  small  black  streamers 
tie  this  hat  on  the  marshmallow  head.  Though  this 
doll  is  ferocious-looking,  she  is  very  good  to  eat  and 
would  make  a  nice  place  gift  at  a  dinner  party. 

For  the  six-months-old  baby,  why  not  make  a  ball 
doll?  The  foundation  is  a  ball  made  of  cotton  batting 
or  rags  tied  up.  Cover  it  over  with  white-ribbed  stock- 
ing or  shirt  material.  Over  one  half  the  ball  stretch  red 
flannel,  and  around  the  circumference  where  the  white 
and  red  are  joined  together,  finish  by  tying  around  a  red 
ribbon.  On  the  white  half  of  the  ball  make  a  face  with 
water-color  paints.  This  toy  gives  two  pleasures;  one  of 
joy  because  it  rolls,  and  it  has  apparent  life  to  the  child 
because  of  the  face. 

138 


^p^^ 


^ 


n 


J^ 


j^n 


^7 


DOLLS  AND  PETS 


TOY-MAKING 


ANIMALS 


When  bath  or  Turkish  towels  give  out,  the  holes  usu- 
ally come  in  the  center,  leaving  the  ends  to  make  into 
wash-cloths.  This  time  try  making  something  to  amuse 
the  baby.  As  is  seen  in  the  picture  a  cat  and  a  rabbit 
have  been  made  from  this  material.  First  draw  a  paper 
pattern  either  from  pictures  found  in  children's  books 
or  copy  from  these  illustrations.  Make  the  lines  and 
curves  as  simple  as  possible.  Cut  two  sides  alike  and 
sew  together,  leaving  a  space  at  the  least  conspicuous 
place.  Turn  right-side  out  and  fill  the  animal  with  soft 
scraps  of  cloth  or  cotton  batting.  Work  the  rags  around 
so  as  to  fill  the  parts  out  in  as  natural  shape  as  possible. 
Finally  sew  up  the  open  space  from  the  outside.  Black 
shoe  buttons  are  good  to  use  for  eyes.  Pink  noses  and 
black  whiskers  can  be  embroidered  on  with  coarse  em- 
broidery floss.  White  whiskers  could  be  of  fine  wire  or 
stiff  canvas  threads  sewed  through  the  face  and  left  cut 
to  stand  out.  For  the  rabbit  put  a  layer  of  canvas  inside 
the  ears  when  sewing  it.  This  will  help  make  the  ears 
stand  up.  Also  a  facing  of  pink  cloth  can  be  sewed  on 
the  front  of  the  ear  to  represent  more  accurately  the 
pink  skin  of  the  bunny's  ear. 

CARTS 

As  children  become  more  interested  in  things  about 
them,  they  desire  to  reproduce  them  in  smaller  dimen- 
sions. Empty  boxes  and  spools  now  come  into  use.  A 
cart  that  will  really  go  is  made  of  half  of  a  box  for  the 
body  and  the  wheels  are  spools.  Place  two  spools  on  a 
wooden  skewer,  the  ends  being  driven  through  a  strip  of 

137 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

cardboard  bent  above  it.  The  top  surface  of  the  card- 
board is  now  glued  to  the  bottom  of  the  cart.  With  a 
pair  of  wheels  in  front  and  back  is  made  a  substantial 
express  wagon.  The  wagon  can  be  colored  with  crayons 
to  suit  the  child  and  the  name  printed  on  its  side. 

Wheels  made  of  cardboard  and  placed  on  the  outside 
of  a  box  can  be  fastened  with  brass  pins  or  a  piece  of 
wire  or  even  a  wire  hairpin.  This  crudeness  does  not 
disturb  the  child  until  he  comes  to  the  age  of  carpentry, 
and  then  definite  technicalities  are  worked  out. 

The  black  rocker  chair  was  made  by  cutting  out  two 
big  dog  figures,  the  bottom  of  which  was  made  into 
smooth  rockers.  Between  these  two  figures  was  glued 
part  of  a  box  which  makes  the  chair  part,  with  sides  and 
a  back.  In  place  of  a  dog  figure,  a  cat  or  a  squirrel  or  a 
rabbit  can  be  made.  Seen  in  this  rocker  is  a  little  doll 
made  of  acorns  and  pieces  of  toothpicks.  He  looks  very 
happy  in  his  chair  of  state. 

THE  MERRY-GO-ROUND 

Was  there  ever  a  child  so  happy  as  when  thrilled  with  a 
ride  in  a  merry-go-round!  Let  us  make  a  little  one  at 
home  just  for  fun  and  amusement.  Stand  a  wooden 
skewer  in  the  hole  of  a  good-sized  spool.  Cut  out  of 
hea\^  cardboard  a  circle  about  ten  inches  in  diameter. 
At  intervals  around  the  edge  paste  on  animals  cut  out  of 
magazines  or  drawn,  colored,  and  cut  out.  Just  inside 
of  these  animals  paste  on  little  folded  chairs.  Cut  out 
paper  dolls  and  put  them  in  these  seats.  Making  a  hole 
in  the  center  of  this  cardboard,  slip  it  over  the  skewer  so 
that  it  rests  on  top  of  the  spool.  Now  put  another  spool 

138 


TOY  CARTS  FROM  CARDBOARD 


TOY-MAKING 

on  top  of  the  cardboard.  On  the  very  top  of  the  skewer 
place  another  circular  cardboard  decorated  as  elabo- 
rately as  desired  to  represent  a  tent  top.  The  lower 
cardboard  will  spin  beautifully  for  a  moment  as  you 
twirl  it  with  your  fingers,  so  the  paper  dolls  will  have 
a  ride.  The  second  spool  can  represent  the  music  organ 
that  always  plays  while  the  merry-go-round  is  in  motion. 

KIDDIE  CAR 

One  of  the  newest  forms  of  locomotion  for  the  children 
is  the  ride  on  a  Kiddie  Car.  This  one  illustrated  is  a 
facsimile  which  can  be  used  by  a  doll.  Some  pieces  of 
beaver  board  were  found  and  cut  into  the  shape  of  the 
seat  and  wheels.  It  was  put  together  with  wire  and 
spools,  and  the  handle  was  made  to  steer  the  front 
wheel.  This  runs  remarkably  well  and  has  durability. 

STEAM  ENGINE 

This  steam  engine  will  do  any  little  boy's  heart  good  if 
he  has  n't  the  good  fortune  to  own  a  train  of  iron  cars 
and  tracks.  The  body  of  the  engine  is  an  empty  ribbon 
bolt.  Cardboard  is  used  to  make  the  caboose  and  cow- 
catcher. Spools  are  wired  on  for  wheels,  and  one  is  at- 
tached on  top  to  make  the  smokestack.  A  toy  bell, 
which  really  rings,  is  fastened  on,  and  the  headlight  is  a 
fancy  glass  button  found  in  Mother's  button  box.  The 
entire  engine  is  painted  with  shoe  blacking. 

ELECTRIC  CAR 

A  FANCY  box  originally  filled  with  candy  is  the  electric 
car.  One  can  see  that  front  and  back  platforms  are  well 

139 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

portrayed  and  the  steps  are  not  forgotten.  If  you  can 
look  in  the  windows  you  will  find  seats  in  a  row,  and  on 
top  is  an  imitation  of  the  trolley.  These  wheels  are  cut 
out  of  cardboard  and  are  stationary;  but  spools  used  as 
described  in  the  express  wagon  would  make  possible  the 
running  of  the  car. 

A  CORK  TURKEY 

Pebhaps  from  the  picture  it  would  be  hard  to  tell  what 
kind  of  bird  is  seen  here.  It  really  would  be  a  good  sug- 
gestion for  Thanksgiving  Day  souvenirs  at  the  place  of 
each  guest.  The  body  is  a  big  cork.  The  legs,  neck,  and 
bill  are  toothpicks,  while  the  head  is  a  small  piece  of 
cork.  Find  some  little  feathers  to  paste  on  for  the  tail. 
If  put  on  at  a  certain  angle  they  will  make  the  bird  look 
quite  haughty. 

CIRCUS  DANCERS 

Take  partitions  from  a  box  of  a  dozen  eggs.  Remove 
the  center  piece  of  cardboard.  Out  of  the  other  card- 
board cut  and  color  the  figure  of  a  clown,  boy,  girl,  dog, 
and  a  fancy  ball.  Paste  these  onto  the  different  sections 
as  seen  in  the  illustration.  By  working  the  partitions 
back  and  forth  between  the  fingers,  you  will  see  the  dolls 
dance.  Little  children  always  enjoy  toys  that  move  and 
seem  to  be  doing  something. 

JUMPING  JACK 

The  Jumping  Jack  moves  also,  and  will  delight  old  and 
young  as  he  performs  his  ludicrous  tricks  on  the  cross- 
bar.  This  was  made  from  a  cigar  box.    Two  uprights 

140 


>fEri8iiiii1 Ill 


HOME-MADE  TOYS 


TOY-MAKING 

were  securely  fastened  onto  a  piece  of  the  box  for  a 
flooring.  Joining  these  two  uprights  at  the  top  is  a 
round  stick  which  is  driven  through  holes.  On  one  end 
of  the  cross-pole  is  made  a  handle.  This  is  a  piece  of 
wire  bent  into  the  end  of  a  spool.  From  a  piece  of  old 
brown  kid  glove  cut  a  shape  resembling  a  monkey  with 
long  arms  and  legs.  A  piece  of  hemp  rope  makes  a 
splendid  tail.  With  glue  fasten  the  two  hands  of  the 
monkey  to  the  cross-bar  and  let  him  hang  there.  Now 
as  you  turn  the  handle  of  the  cross-bar  the  monkey 
turns  over  with  it,  jumping  about  and  going  through 
all  kinds  of  antics  expected  of  this  animal. 

BABY  CARRIAGE  AND  CRADLE 

Ant  little  girl  would  be  pleased  w  ith  a  baby  carriage  or 
cradle  for  her  little  doll.  An  empty  pound  box  is  used  in 
each  instance.  A  straight  piece  of  cardboard  or  a  part  of 
the  box  cover  is  bent  over  one  end  of  the  box  and  slipped 
down  inside,  so  that  a  curved  hood  is  made.  The  car- 
riage has  a  handle  and  wheels  attached  with  brass  pins 
to  make  it  complete,  while  the  cradle  has  curved  pieces 
of  cardboard  pasted  onto  the  front  and  back  of  the  box 
to  make  the  rockers.  A  coat  of  white  shellac  is  painted 
over  these  articles  inside  as  well  as  outside,  making 
them  firm  and  durable.  With  dainty  pieces  of  muslin 
and  pink  cambric  these  can  be  dressed  up  with  pillows 
and  coverings,  which  make  them  more  attractive  and 
enticing  for  play.  The  little  sled  is  fashioned  out  of  a 
box  and  covered  with  gold  paper.  Turn  the  cover  up- 
side down  pasting  it  to  the  top  of  the  box.  Cut  the 
lower  part  like  sled  runners.  The  handle  is  pasted  onto 

141 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

the  back,  and  the  little  rings  on  the  side  are  used  to  put 
ribbon  through  that  the  doll  can  be  tied  to  her  sled. 

GLOUCESTER  HAMMOCK  AND  STOVE 

From  a  long,  narrow  box  cut  out  one  of  the  long  sides. 
With  a  heavy  needle  carry  several  strands  of  worsted  or 
string  through  each  side  at  short  intervals  from  each 
other.  A  few  inches  above  tie  these  ends  through  a  brass 
ring,  one  on  each  side.  Upholster  the  inside  of  the  box 
with  colored  cretonne  cushion  and  pillows.  Hold  these 
two  rings  in  your  fingers  and  you  will  see  a  comfortable 
Gloucester  hammock.  To  make  it  serviceable  for  the 
child  to  play  with,  a  heavy  wooden  framework  can  be 
made,  the  rings  attached  to  the  side,  and  the  hammock 
will  be  ready  to  give  the  doll  a  swing. 

The  stove  was  cut  from  a  square  box.  A  little  door 
was  cut  out  on  three  sides,  bending  it  back  on  the  fourth 
side.  A  grating  was  cut  out  on  the  front  and  a  stovepipe 
added.  Circles  were  scratched  in  to  represent  stove 
covers.  This  was  blackened  with  ink,  but  shoe  blacking 
or  paint  can  be  used. 

DIVANS 

Most  comfortable  of  all  are  the  luxurious  divans.  The 
foundations  are  empty  boxes,  the  covers  being  set  up  on 
end  to  make  the  backs.  They  are  padded  with  a  thin 
layer  of  cotton  batting  which  is  glued  to  the  boxes,  then 
covered  with  pieces  from  the  scrapbag.  One  of  these  is 
upholstered  in  green  crepe  de  chine,  the  other  with  pink 
chintz.  The  pillows  add  to  the  attractiveness  and  com- 
fort of  these  little  seats.  The  green  divan  has  four  spools 

142 


TOY-MAKING 

glued  to  the  bottom  for  legs,  while  the  pink  sofa  has  four 
glass  push  pins  to  stand  upon.  These  pieces  of  furniture 
are  dainty  enough  to  grace  any  doll-house. 

CIRCUS 

When  spring  of  the  year  comes,  with  its  many  pleasures, 
every  child  looks  for  the  posters  which  announce  the 
coming  of  the  circus.  Once  a  child  is  given  a  day's  ex- 
perience under  those  wonderful  tents,  there  is  enough 
mental  action  going  on  to  keep  him  thinking  for  many 
weeks  to  come.  There  are  the  kinds  of  animals  to  be  dis- 
cussed, their  differences,  habits,  and  families.  There  are 
the  marvelous  tricks  they  are  taught  to  do  in  captivity 
and  the  daring  masters  who  work  with  them.  We  al- 
ways remember  the  funny  clowns  who  make  every  one 
laugh,  and  the  people  who  do  such  acrobatic  feats  that 
we  hold  our  breath  in  awe  and  fear  until  they  are  over. 

All  this  must  be  expressed  through  play  in  the  back 
yard  or  nursery.  Often  with  a  group  of  neighborhood 
children  an  original  entertainment  worth  a  penny  for 
admittance  can  be  made  quite  a  replica  of  the  circus  and 
its  charms.  Children  walk  on  hands  and  feet  growling 
like  a  tiger,  roaring  like  a  lion,  or  waving  their  heads  to 
which  is  tied  a  long  proboscis  made  of  cloth.  Of  course 
these  elephants  are  waiting  to  be  fed  with  peanuts. 
Those  who  wish  to  be  clowns  are  dressed  up  in  funny 
costumes,  wear  masks,  and  do  most  ridiculous  perform- 
ances. Let  the  children  work  out  their  own  interpreta- 
tion of  the  circus,  not  forgetting  the  sale  of  pink  lemon- 
ade and  peanuts. 

For  the  individual  child  who  must  play  alone  or  with 
143 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

but  one  or  two  friends,  it  is  just  as  interesting  to  create  a 
toy  circus.  A  corner  of  the  playroom  or  top  of  a  table 
can  be  the  circus  grounds.  With  a  number  of  candy 
boxes  of  the  same  size  make  cages  for  the  animals.  Tip 
the  boxes  on  a  long,  narrow  side  and  attach  some  spools 
at  the  bottom  for  wheels.  In  the  cover,  which  is  the  side 
facing  you  when  tipped,  cut  out  strips  of  cardboard,  thus 
making  the  bars  of  the  cage.  Place  inside  the  boxes 
paper  animals  cut  out  on  a  double  fold  of  paper  so  that 
they  will  stand  and  be  seen  through  the  bars  of  the  cage 
car.  Use  crayons  to  give  the  animals  their  natural  coat 
of  fur  or  skin.  Now  arrange  these  cages  in  a  circle  so  the 
paper-doll  families  can  visit  them. 

Beside  this  group  other  circles  or  rings  made  of  nar- 
row strips  of  cardboard  must  be  made.  Here  the  horses, 
elephants,  and  other  animals  come  in  turn  to  perform. 
From  picture  books  trace  good  patterns  of  animals. 
Make  dolls  with  fancy  costumes  and  ballet  skirts  and 
set  them  on  the  horses'  backs.  Perhaps  some  artist 
friend  can  design  some  clowns  for  you.  For  the  chariot 
races  make  small  two-wheeled  carts,  and  if  you  have 
gold  water-color  paint  it  will  make  the  chariots  look 
very  true  to  life. 

Like  a  toy  village,  so  the  toy  circus  can  come  to  your 
own  house  to  give  hours  of  work  and  pleasure.  The 
family  group  may  develop  this  play  with  great  oppor- 
tunities of  instruction  concerning  animals. 

GROCERY  STORE 

Great  is  the  fascination  of  a  grocery  store  to  the  small 
child.    Seeing  the  boxes,  barrels,  cans,  and  bottles  aU 

144 


TOY-MAKING 

placed  in  rows  fills  him  with  a  desire  to  play  the  game 
in  his  own  play-corner.  Without  elaborate  preparation 
Mother  should  join  in  the  searching  party  to  find 
materials  in  the  house  which  will  help  make  the  play- 
store.  Empty  cartons  and  boxes  will  be  filled  with 
proper  contents  by  the  child's  imagination. 

A  miniature  store  can  be  made  to  rest  on  the  play- 
room table  and  the  dolls  can  be  worked  into  service  as 
storekeepers.  Three  half -boxes  can  be  set  on  end  and 
pieces  of  cardboard  set  in  and  fastened  across  to  make 
shelves.  Set  these  boxes  at  right  angles,  giving  the 
appearance  of  three  sides  of  a  store.  The  fourth  side  is 
left  open  so  the  child  can  play  and  have  easy  access. 

In  front  of  these  three  sides  which  have  shelves 
place  counters,  which  can  be  made  of  long,  narrow 
boxes  or  folded  heavy  paper.  With  scraps  of  cardboard 
make  tiny  boxes  to  set  on  shelves  and  counters.  With 
pencil  and  crayons  label  the  articles  that  are  for  sale. 
Mother  can  spare  a  teaspoonful  of  sugar,  salt,  flour, 
corn  meal,  etc.,  to  fill  these  small  receptacles  and  make 
the  play  more  real. 

From  former  descriptions  a  wagon  can  be  made  of 
box  and  spools  to  deliver  the  grocery  orders.  Dolls  of 
paper,  rags,  or  bisque  can  be  the  people  who  come  to 
buy.  The  money  used  can  be  small  circles  of  gray  paper. 
Another  kind  of  money  is  made  the  natural  size  and 
makes  a  splendid  means  of  teaching  the  use  of  real 
coins.  Take  a  penny,  five-cent  piece,  or  a  dime,  place 
them  under  a  piece  of  paper  and  with  the  broad  side  of 
a  lead  pencil  rub  back  and  forth  on  the  paper  over  the 
coin.   Presently  the  shape  and  design  of  the  coin  will 

145 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

appear.  Cut  out  the  circle  thus  made  and  you  will  find 
money-making  easy. 

All  these  toys  are  just  suggestions  of  how  many  more 
pieces  of  odds  and  ends  can  be  put  to  good  service 
rather  than  thrown  away.  It  is  not  the  costly  toy  the 
child  appreciates,  but  the  one  you  have  helped  him  to 
create. 


XII 
HOLIDAYS 

SUGGESTIVE  PATTERNS  FOR  FESTIVE  OCCASIONS 

A  HOLIDAY  is  a  day  set  apart  for  commemorating 
some  important  event,  or  in  honor  of  some  per- 
son. It  is  a  day  when  ordinary  occupations  are  sus- 
pended by  individuals,  a  community,  or  a  nation.  At 
those  happy  times  children  are  ready  to  catch  the  spirit 
if  shown  its  meaning,  and  a  development  of  knowledge 
beyond  the  home  ties  brings  new  ideas. 

For  children  we  have  occupations  to  help  symbolize 
these  events  and  make  the  holidays  different  from 
other  days.  Always  have  a  story  or  historical  descrip- 
tion to  tell  why  there  is  such  a  day,  and  with  interest 
awakened,  find  some  outward  expression  which  will 
make  the  story  more  impressive. 

THANKSGIVING 

In  the  fall  of  the  year,  Thanksgiving  is  a  festival  of 
gratitude  and  thanks.  In  another  chapter  has  been 
described  the  building  of  the  Pilgrim  village  and  the 
first  Thanksgiving  Day.  Thus  the  children  are  re- 
minded of  the  harvesting  time,  the  gathering  of  fruits 
and  vegetables. 

FRUIT  BASKET 

On  a  piece  of  drawing-paper,  outline  different  shapes 
of  fruit  such  as  a  banana,  an  orange,  an  apple,  and  a 

147 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

pear.  These  should  be  given  their  natural  color  with 
crayons  or  paints.  Now  fold  a  large  piece  of  paper  keep- 
ing the  fold  at  the  bottom.  Draw  or  trace  with  a  pattern 
the  shape  of  a  basket.  Curve  the  sides  outward  and 
join  with  a  handle.  With  paper  still  folded  cut  out  the 
basket  and  handle;  thus  you  have  two  sides  held  to- 
gether by  the  fold  at  the  bottom.  Now  paste  the 
double  handle  together  and  around  the  outside  edge  of 
the  two  baskets,  except  across  the  top  of  the  basket 
part.  Here  you  will  stick  in  the  fruit  in  an  artistic 
arrangement.  On  the  outside  of  the  basket  a  crayoned 
design  can  be  drawn  or  lines  can  be  made  crossing  each 
other  to  look  like  the  weave  of  basketry.  Remember 
to  color  both  sides  of  the  fruit  as  well  as  the  basket. 
These  would  make  attractive  dinner  cards  if  made  an 
appropriate  size  for  the  individual  plate. 

THANKSGIVING  PIE 

Take  a  paper  plate,  such  as  are  used  for  picnics,  and 
fill  with  animal  crackers  or  popcorn.  Cover  the  top  of 
the  plate  and  its  contents  with  orange  tissue  paper, 
pasting  it  down  around  the  edge  of  the  paper  plate. 
Now  the  goodies  are  inside  the  pie,  and  the  fun  comes 
when  each  one  who  is  given  one  is  surprised  when  he 
tears  open  a  corner  of  his  Thanksgiving  pie. 

CHRISTMAS 

Christmas  is  essentially  the  child's  festival,  and  its 
true  significance  —  the  blessedness  of  giving  —  is 
strongly  imbued  in  his  mind  as  he  makes  not  only 
pretty  trimmings  for  the  tree  and  home,  but  creates 

148 


HOLIDAYS 

gifts  to  give  to  those  so  dear  to  him.  Only  by  giv- 
ing gifts  can  the  true  meaning  of  the  great  gift  of 
peace  and  good-will  be  impressed.  An  old  legend  of 
"The Origin  of  the  Christmas-Tree"  is  full  of  the  spirit 
of  the  season.  It  runs  as  follows:  Tw^o  children  are  sit- 
ting by  the  fire,  on  a  cold  winter's  night.  A  timid  knock 
is  heard  at  the  door,  and  the  boy  runs  to  open  it,  to  find 
a  child  standing  outside  in  the  cold  and  darkness,  with 
no  shoes  on  his  feet,  and  clad  in  thin,  ragged  garments. 
He  is  shivering  with  cold,  and  asks  to  come  in  and 
warm  himself.  "Yes,'*  cry  both  the  children,  "you  shall 
have  our  place  by  the  fire.  Come  in."  They  draw  the 
little  stranger  to  their  warm  seat,  share  their  supper 
with  him,  and  give  him  their  bed,  while  they  sleep  on 
the  hard  bench. 

In  the  night  they  are  awakened  by  strains  of  sweet 
music,  and  looking  out  see  a  band  of  children  in  shin- 
ing garments  approaching  the  house.  They  are  play- 
ing on  golden  harps,  and  the  air  is  full  of  melody. 
Suddenly  the  stranger  child  stands  beside  them,  no 
longer  cold  and  ragged,  but  clad  in  silvery  light,  and 
his  soft  voice  says:  "I  was  cold,  and  you  took  me  in. 
I  was  hungry,  and  you  fed  me.  I  was  tired,  and  you 
gave  me  your  bed.  I  am  the  Christ-Child,  wandering 
through  the  world  to  bring  peace  and  happiness  to  the 
hearts  of  all  good  children.  As  you  have  given  to  me, 
so  may  this  tree  every  year  give  rich  fruit  to  you."  So 
saying,  he  broke  a  branch  from  a  fir-tree,  planted  it 
in  the  ground,  and  disappeared.  But  the  branch  grew 
into  a  great  tree,  and  every  year  bore  golden  fruit 
for  the  kind  children. 

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CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

The  joy  of  the  greeting  to  the  Christmas-tree  may 
be  voiced  in  very  simple  words : 

"Oh,  happy  day!  that  brings  to  me. 
With  laden  bough,  the  Christmas-tree! 
Christmas-tree!  Christmas-tree! 
Hurrah!  Hurrah!  for  the  Christmas-tree! 

**0h,  happy  day!  we  sing  again. 
That  brought  good- will  and  peace  to  men. 
Christmas-tree!  Christmas-tree! 
Hurrah!  Hurrah!  for  the  Christmas-tree!** 

PAPER  CHAINS 

I.  The  simplest  form  of  paper-cutting  can  become  a 
thing  of  beauty  and  is  something  a  child  can  do.  For  the 
inexperienced  child,  draw  with  a  ruler  lines  that  he  can 
follow.  Colored  paper,  or  paper  crayoned  or  painted 
by  the  small  child,  is  still  more  interesting;  it  must  be 
cut  in  narrow  strips,  all  being  the  same  length.  A  fair 
proportion  would  be  six  inches  in  length  and  five 
eighths  in  width.  These  ends  are  then  pasted  together 
after  being  put  through  the  loop  of  another  link.  Thus 
yards  and  yards  can  be  made  for  Christmas-tree  and 
room  decorations. 

II.  Another  form  of  chain  may  be  made  by  taking 
long  strips  of  paper  two  or  three  inches  wide  and  folding 
them  in  halves,  lengthv/ise.  While  still  folded,  cut  slits 
along  both  sides  three  eighths  of  an  inch  apart  and 
across  the  fold  to  one  half  inch  from  the  other  edge. 
Cutting  on  the  opposite  edge  pass  between  the  other 
slits,  thus  alternating.  Now  open  the  long  piece  of 
paper  and  pull  by  the  length.  As  is  shown  in  the  illus- 
tration you  will  make  a  very  pretty  chain. 

150 


HOLIDAYS 

III.  With  a  long,  strong  thread,  string  in  order  first 
a  red  paper  circle  an  inch  in  diameter,  then  the  same 
size  piece  of  cotton  batting,  followed  by  an  inch-length 
piece  of  straw.  Repeat  in  same  order  until  the  end  of 
the  thread. 

IV.  Cut  out  four-inch  squares  of  white  tissue  paper. 
In  each  square  tie  a  marshmallow  or  one  hard  piece  of 
candy.  Tie  these  connectedly  with  one  long  piece  of 
string,  and  later  on  there  will  be  much  sport  in  the  tug- 
of-war  for  the  sweet  trophies  of  the  tree. 

CHRISTMAS  LANTERN 

Take  a  piece  of  paper  about  five  inches  by  nine  inches. 
This  may  be  red  or  green  paper,  or  better  still,  painted 
in  two-toned  colors  suggested  in  the  painting  chapter. 
Paint  or  crayon  a  solid  band  of  black,  one  half  inch 
wide,  at  the  top  and  bottom  of  paper.  Now  fold  in 
half,  the  painted  or  colored  side  out.  With  the  fold  of 
the  paper  toward  you,  cut  in  one  half-inch  spaces  to  the 
black  border.  Now  open  the  sheet  of  paper  and  fasten 
the  two  ends  with  brass  fasteners  or  paste.  Over  the 
top  tie  a  piece  of  worsted  or  use  wire  with  which  to 
hang  the  lantern. 

CHRISTMAS  BELL 

From  the  pattern  illustrated  cut  two  red  or  green  bells. 
Fold  them  down  the  center,  and  while  folded  cut  out  the 
small  square  loop  at  the  top.  Put  the  two  bells  together, 
sewing  them  down  the  crease  with  same  colored  thread. 
Through  the  two  top  loops  tie  worsted  to  hang  it  on  thp 
tree. 

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CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

CANDY  PAPER  BAG 

Buy  a  quantity  of  small,  white  paper  bags  at  your  gro- 
cery store.  As  is  suggested  by  the  illustration,  cut  out 
a  body  of  a  man,  pasting  it  on  the  lower  part  of  the  bag. 
Cut  out  circles  for  eyes,  pieces  for  a  nose  and  a  mouth; 
paste  them  farther  up  on  the  bag.  With  a  black  crayon 
a  few  strokes  will  make  his  suit  and  a  collar  as  well  as 
lighten  his  eyes.  When  the  bag  is  filled  with  candy  or 
popcorn,  tie  the  top  with  red  worsted,  leaving  ends  long 
enough  to  tie  again  into  a  loop  so  it  can  hang  on  the  tree. 

CANDY  DOLL 

From  coarse  scrim  or  canvas  cut  two  dolls  about  eight 
inches  long.  The  shape  is  suggested  in  the  illustration. 
The  head  must  be  made  the  size  of  a  large  peppermint. 
Sew  the  two  dolls  together  with  a  coarse  blanket  stitch, 
using  red  worsted.  As  the  different  parts  are  completed, 
fill  in  with  small,  hard  candy.  A  licorice  jelly  bean  at  each 
toe  looks  like  shoes,  and  red  jelly  beans  at  the  beginning 
of  each  arm  look  like  hands.  A  long  stick  of  candy  down 
each  limb  is  advisable  to  hold  the  legs  and  arms  in  good 
position.  Fill  the  body  part  with  smaller  candies.  Fi- 
nally place  the  big  round  peppermint  between  the  two 
heads  and  sew  it  in.  With  melted  chocolate  mark  a  face 
on  the  peppermint  before  sewing  it  up.  This  is  far  more 
attractive  than  the  plain  bags  of  old  if  you  allow  plenty 
of  time  to  make  up  the  candy  doll. 

FLOWERS  AND  SNOWBALLS 

Prepare  tissue  paper  into  four-  or  five-inch  squares, 
using  red  or  yellow  preferably.  Fold  each  piece  into  four 

152 


CHRISTMAS-TREE  DECORATIONS 


HOLIDAYS 

squares,  making  the  handkerchief  fold.  Take  a  strong 
thread  and  needle  and  string  these  folded  pieces  one  by 
one  at  the  folded  point.  After  stringing  eighteen  or 
twenty  pieces,  take  the  two  ends  of  the  thread  and  tie 
tightly  in  the  center,  leaving  a  long  thread  to  make  a 
loop.  Then  with  the  fingers  open  up  these  folded  pieces, 
and  the  irregular  ball  shapes  will  look  just  like  shaggy 
red  and  yellow  chrysanthemums.  With  the  loops  hang 
them  on  the  Christmas-tree.  They  will  make  very 
bright  decorations.  The  snowball  is  made  in  the  same 
manner,  using  a  circle  of  white  tissue  paper,  folding 
and  stringing  in  the  same  manner.  After  the  ends  are 
tied  together,  open  up  the  circular  fold  which  will  help 
make  the  fluffy  ball.  These,  too,  are  to  be  hung  on  the 
Christmas-tree. 

SANTA  CLAUS 

Find  a  good  picture  of  Santa  Claus  in  a  book  or  maga- 
zine. The  artist  of  the  family  must  now  be  called  in  to 
dissect  him;  that  is  to  say,  to  draw  separately  the  differ- 
ent parts  including  the  body,  arms,  legs,  and  head.  Af- 
ter working  out  satisfactory  patterns,  trace  them  on 
heavy  paper  for  the  child  to  cut  out.  Let  him  take  his 
crayons,  coloring  his  suit  red,  belt  black,  leggins  red  and 
black,  and  cap  red.  After  this  is  completed,  fasten  the 
legs,  arms,  and  head  in  respective  places  upon  the  body 
by  means  of  small  brass  fasteners.  This  makes  it  possi- 
ble for  all  parts  to  move.  Paint  in  a  face  and  paste  cot- 
ton on  for  his  beard  and  any  white  fur  trimmings  de- 
sired. With  a  string  attached  to  his  back  he  can  easily 
be  hung  on  the  Christmas-tree. 

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CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

JACK-IN-THE-BOX 

On  a  piece  of  paper  draw  a  head  about  one  and  one  half 
inches  in  diameter,  with  a  pointed  cap  on  top.  From  the 
neck  down,  for  about  an  inch,  draw  irregular,  jagged 
lines  representing  the  springs  of  a  Jack-in-the-Box.  Be- 
low this  leave  an  inch  of  plain  paper  about  three  and  a 
half  inches  wide.  Having  made  this  as  a  pattern,  out- 
line it  again  so  that  the  child  may  cut  it  out  himself. 

Take  a  piece  of  paper  eight  by  four  inches  in  dimen- 
sions. Fold  this  over  double  and  paste  along  the  edges 
of  the  two  sides  only.  Now  at  the  top  insert  the  Jack 
into  his  box  and  paste  or  seal  down  about  an  inch  of  the 
edge  on  each  side  of  him.  This  prevents  him  from  falling 
out.  In  the  top  of  his  pointed  cap  punch  a  hole  in  which 
is  tied  a  piece  of  worsted.  You  see  he  will  disappear  into 
his  box,  and  then  pull  him  up  quickly  as  far  as  he  will  go. 
By  the  loop  of  worsted  he  can  be  hung  on  the  Christmas- 
tree.  Jack  and  his  box  can  be  colored  with  bright  col- 
ors. If  several  are  made  as  decorations  or  souvenirs  a 
variety  of  colors  will  be  very  attractive. 

CANDLESTICK 

Give  the  child  a  pattern  of  a  candlestick  to  outline  and 
cut  out.  The  candle  can  be  represented  as  standing  in  a 
tall,  plain  holder,  or  in  a  short  one  which  has  a  round 
tray  for  the  bottom.  Be  sure  to  cut  out  a  point  at  the 
top  of  the  candle  to  represent  the  flame.  Color  the  can- 
dle-stick red,  green,  or  yellow  like  brass,  and  make  the 
flame  of  the  candle  orange.  On  the  part  which  repre- 
sents the  tallow  candle  cut  and  paste  on  a  long  piece  of 

154 


HOLIDAYS 

sandpaper.  Now  paste  the  candlestick  upon  a  green  or 
brown  card.  Punch  a  hole  at  the  top  of  the  card  through 
which  raffia  may  be  tied.  This  makes  a  useful  match- 
scratcher  for  Father  which  he  can  find  hanging  on  the 
Christmas-tree. 

WRISTWATCH 

I.  Cut  out  a  circle  of  cardboard  one  and  one  quarter 
inches  in  diameter.  Cut  another  circle,  of  the  same 
size,  of  gilt  paper  and  paste  it  on  top  of  the  cardboard 
circle.  Draw  the  face  of  a  watch  on  a  smaller  white 
circle  or  cut  out  one  from  an  advertisement.  Paste  this 
on  top  of  the  gilt  circle.  Punch  a  hole  on  two  opposite 
sides  of  the  watch  through  which  put  a  piece  of  yellow 
worsted  and  tie  around  the  child's  wrist. 

II.  Cut  out  of  heavy  gray  paper  a  pattern  all  in  one 
piece,  the  center  part  shaped  like  a  circle,  and  from  two 
sides  taper  down  to  two  narrow  ends  like  a  strap.  On 
the  circle  part  of  the  paper  put  the  face  of  a  watch. 
Put  the  long,  narrow  strap  ends  around  the  child's  wrist 
and  fasten  with  a  small  clamp  or  brass  fastener.  This 
watch  resembles  one  made  of  silver. 

TRANSPARENCY 

For  years  we  have  seen  pretty  glass  pictures  hanging  in 
the  windows  of  friends'  homes.  Sometimes  there  would 
be  a  scene  like  Niagara  Falls,  sometimes  photographs  of 
children,  and  again  it  might  be  a  butterfly  in  wonderful 
colored  glass.  It  is  always  fascinating  to  see  the  light 
shine  through  these  pictures.  It  has  occurred  to  us  that 
children  can  make  pretty  pictures  and  hang  them  up  to 

155 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

see  the  light  shine  through.  There  is  a  wide  field  of 
experiment  in  this  occupation,  and  a  few  suggestions  will 
carry  the  child's  imagination  afloat  to  many  illustra- 
tions he  would  like  to  try.  Three  examples  are  here  pro- 
duced. Every  child  has  seen  the  colored  light  through  a 
church  window;  therefore,  in  his  night  picture  he  cuts 
out  of  the  black  church  a  window.  Back  of  this  he 
stretches  a  piece  of  red  tissue  paper.  Holding  it  to  the 
light  he  gets  a  soft  red  coloring. 

The  flock  of  bluebirds  are  cut  cut  of  white  paper,  and 
over  the  entire  back  is  pasted  a  piece  of  blue  tissue  paper. 
Another  white  paper,  cut  out  like  the  first,  may  then 
be  fitted  on  and  both  sides  will  look  alike.  A  black  paper 
border  sets  off  the  contrast  to  the  bluebirds.  A  cord  or 
piece  of  worsted  can  be  tied  across  the  top  so  it  can  hang 
up  at  the  playroom  window. 

If  it  is  not  advisable  to  own  live  goldfish,  then  what 
fun  it  would  be  to  make-believe!  Take  two  good-sized 
pieces  of  dark  green  or  gray  cardboard.  From  the 
center  of  each  cut  out  a  bowl  of  the  shape  of  an  aquarium. 
Paste  over  each  cardboard,  where  it  has  been  cut  away, 
a  sheet  of  white  onion  paper.  Cut  out  from  orange-tint 
coated  paper  little  goldfish,  and  seaweed  or  moss  from 
green  paper.  Paste  these  on  the  inside  of  one  of  these 
white  bowls  you  have  just  made.  Now  paste  the  two 
sides  together  and  place  a  piece  of  worsted  or  cord  at  the 
top.  Holding  it  to  the  light,  you  can  see  the  fish  swim- 
ming about  in  their  glass  bowl. 

Each  festive  season  will  give  a  suggestion  for  a  sub- 
ject in  transparency  design.  The  Halloween  pumpkin 
with  glittering  eyes,  the  snowman  in  winter,  Santa  Claus 

156 


TRANSPARENCIES 


HOLIDAYS 

and  his  tiny  reindeer,  the  moon  and  stars,  rabbits  and 
chickens,  and  boats  sailing  by  moonlight,  are  all  equally 
attractive  subjects  for  reproduction.  With  the  help  of 
an  older  person  a  scene  or  conventional  design  could 
be  developed  for  a  candle  shade;  a  suggestion  for  a 
Christmas  gift  to  give  to  Mother.  Paper,  scissors,  paste, 
and  good  ideas  will  keep  many  a  child  out  of  mischief 
and  possibly  start  him  on  the  road  to  greater  things. 

VALENTINE'S  DAY 

Dating  back  to  the  worship  of  the  goddess  Juno  mes- 
sages of  love  were  sent  at  about  this  time  of  year.  In 
later  years  a  festival  was  observed  in  memory  of  a  Chris- 
tian saint  named  Valentine  on  February  14th.  Thus 
comes  to  us  the  custom  of  sending  love  messages  on 
Saint  Valentine's  day.  These  messages  are  now  called 
"valentines." 

Among  the  children  it  has  become  a  happy  event  sur- 
rounded with  sweet  thoughts  and  mystery  as  to  the 
sender  of  the  greetings.  The  older  child  feels  the  neces- 
sity of  buying  elaborate  cards  and  valentines,  but  the 
little  one  is  delighted  to  cut  out  of  red  paper,  heart 
shapes  and  arrows,  and  to  paste  on  small  colored  pic- 
tures, or  to  use  crayons  for  decorating  and  printing 
words  of  love,  perhaps  helped  by  an  older  adviser. 

VALENTINES 

I.  In  the  center  of  a  red  heart  cut  a  short  vertical  line. 
Cut  across  the  top  and  bottom  of  this  line  a  short  dis- 
tance left  and  right.  Bend  back  these  pieces  to  represent 
the  opening  of  shutters.  On  the  back  of  the  card  across 

157 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

the  center,  which  is  cut,  paste  a  pretty  picture  or  a  love 
message,  so  that  when  the  window  is  opened  a  pleasant 
surprise  awaits  the  receiver. 

II.  Cut  hearts  on  folded  paper  so  that  two  may  be 
slightly  joined  together  at  the  side  or  at  the  two  high 
points  of  the  curve  of  the  heart.  Decorate  with  pictures 
or  gold-paint  lettering. 

III.  Cut  out  a  red  heart  about  four  inches  in  length. 
Make  two  holes  near  the  center  and  pass  a  piece  of 
colored  worsted  through  them.  As  the  two  ends  come 
up  on  the  front  side  tie  in  a  candy  kiss  ^Tapped  in  oiled 
paper.  Above  the  candy  print,  "To  you  a  "  and  below 
the  kiss  write,  "I  send." 

IV.  Take  a  piece  of  paper  six  inches  square,  and  paint 
it  bright  red  on  one  side.  Find  the  center  of  the  square 
on  the  unpainted  side  and  fold  over  four  corners  of  the 
square  to  it.  Now  you  will  see  the  red  side.  On  these 
four  red  corners  trace  hearts  that  will  fit  in  that  space, 
turning  the  lower  points  of  the  hearts  toward  the  center. 
Now  cut  them  out  and  you  will  find  you  have  double 
hearts.  Open  these  up  and  write  a  verse  on  the  white 
inside.  Now  fold  the  hearts  over  again  and  join  them 
together  with  a  gold  heart  at  the  center.  The  one  who 
receives  it  will  have  to  break  the  gold  heart  open  to  see 
what  is  written  inside. 

V.  More  elaborate  valentines  can  be  made  by  using 
the  lace  perforated  paper  which  comes  in  candy  boxes, 
or  by  using  paper  doilies.  Hidden  under  this  material  are 
placed  pretty  pictures  and  poetry.  The  Dennison  Paper 
Company  make  boxes  filled  with  valentine  material 
which  can  be  purchased  in  the  toy  departments  of  stores 

158 


HOLIDAYS 

LINCOLN'S  AND  WASHINGTON'S  BIRTHDAYS 

Children  know  the  joy  of  celebrating  a  birthday,  and 
in  this  month  of  February  we  have  the  birthdays  of 
two  important  men  to  make  into  hohdays.  Because 
they  were  good  and  brave  and  helped  the  United  States 
to  be  the  great  nation  that  it  is,  we  want  to  show  our 
respect  for  them.  It  is  therefore  fitting  that  patriotic 
festivities  be  enjoyed  by  the  young  children.  Songs  of 
patriotism  should  be  sung,  soldier  games  played,  and 
some  form  of  mementoes  should  be  made  on  these  days. 
February  12th  is  Lincoln's  birthday  and  Washington's 
comes  on  February  22d. 

PICTURE  FRAMES 

I.  Make  a  picture  frame  by  folding  red  paper  as  de- 
scribed in  another  chapter.  In  this  frame  put  the  pic- 
ture of  Lincoln  or  W^ashington.  These  pictures  may  be 
found  in  magazines,  especially  in  the  month  of  Febru- 
ary, or  may  be  purchased  in  small  sizes,  for  a  penny 
apiece,  of  Milton  Bradley.  In  this  way  a  child  becomes 
familiar  with  the  faces  of  these  great  men. 

11.  Cut  two  gray  cardboard  circles  six  inches  in  di- 
ameter. From  one  circle  cut  out  from  the  center  a  circle 
two  inches  in  diameter.  In  the  center  of  the  large  circle 
paste  a  picture  of  Washington.  Now  put  the  two  circles 
together  and  around  the  outer  edges  punch  holes  at 
regular  intervals.  W^ith  red  worsted  sew  over  and  over 
once,  and  the  second  time  go  the  other  way  to  make  a 
cross-stitch.  This  completes  the  frame.  At  the  top  tie 
a  loop  of  worsted  by  which  to  hang  it  up. 

159 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

BADGES 

There  seems  to  be  a  loyalty  and  fellow-feeling  that 
arises  when  a  group  show  their  spirit  by  wearing  a 
badge.  This  may  represent  an  emblem  of  an  event  or 
loyalty  to  a  cause  or  person.  Children  are  quick  to 
catch  this  spirit,  and  to  make  a  badge  of  their  own  will 
make  them  prouder  still. 

I.  Cut  a  circle  two  inches  in  diameter  out  of  red 
paper.  Cut  a  second  circle  of  white  an  inch  and  a  half 
in  diameter,  and  a  third  circle  of  blue  an  inch  in  diam- 
eter. Paste  one  on  top  of  the  other  in  the  order  given; 
thus  the  three  colors  are  shown.  In  the  center  paste  a 
small  flag  "sticker,"  the  kind  which  come  fifty  in  a 
box.  Through  a  hole  punched  in  the  outer  red  circle  tie 
a  piece  of  worsted  in  a  loop  so  it  can  be  hung  on  a  button 
of  a  coat. 

II.  Make  a  badge  as  before  mentioned,  only  place  a 
small  picture  of  Abraham  Lincoln  or  George  Washing- 
ton in  the  center  instead  of  the  flag.  Three  pieces  of 
paper  of  red,  white,  and  blue,  cut  about  four  inches 
long  and  half  an  inch  wide,  are  pasted  underneath  the 
circle  and  hang  down  in  a  row. 

HI.  Cut  a  piece  of  cardboard  the  shape  of  a  three- 
leaf  clover.  CiJ^i  out  three  circles  of  the  three  colors  and 
paste  them  on  the  three  petals.  In  the  center  paste  a 
picture  of  either  Lincoln  or  Washington.  Make  a  hole 
at  the  top;  tie  with  ribbon  or  worsted. 

IV.  Cut  two  strips  each  of  red  and  white  paper,  three 
inches  long  and  one  half  inch  wide.  Notch  both  ends. 
Paste  two  white  pieces  on  top  of  each  other  and  at  right 

160 


HOLIDAYS 

angles.  Paste  the  red  pieces  across  each  other  between 
the  white  pieces.  In  the  center  paste  a  blue  circle  an  inch 
in  diameter.  In  the  center  of  the  circle  paste  on  a  gold 
star. 

V.  Instead  of  cutting  three  sets  of  circles,  cut  out 
three  sizes  of  stars,  placing  a  white  star  on  the  red  and 
a  small  blue  star  on  the  white.  This  badge  can  be  pinned 
or  tied  onto  the  coat. 

BOOKLET 

A  STRIP  of  white  paper,  seven  inches  long  and  three  and 
one  half  inches  wide,  folded  in  half,  forms  the  booklet. 
On  the  outside  is  pasted  a  square  of  blue  paper  slightly 
smaller  than  the  cover,  and  on  this  is  pasted  a  still 
smaller  square  of  red.  On  this  again  are  pasted  two 
flags  crossed  (use  Dennison's  flag  stickers).  Inside  the 
book  on  one  side  place  a  picture  of  Abraham  Lincoln, 
and  on  the  other  side  a  small  picture  of  the  log  cabin  in 
which  he  first  lived. 

knight's  flag 

The  knights  of  old,  with  their  good  works  and  brave 
deeds,  furnish  fascinating  stories  to  inspire  youth.  At 
an  appropriate  time  when  these  are  discussed,  children 
hke  to  make  a  knight's  flag  as  history  portrays  it.  Make 
a  flag  two  inches  long  and  one  inch  wide.  In  the  center 
paste  a  red  cross  cut  in  the  shape  of  the  Maltese  cross.  At 
the  outer  end  of  the  flag  cut  an  indentation.  On  the 
other  end  put  some  glue  and  wrap  it  around  a  tooth- 
pick which  makes  a  handle. 


161 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

SPRING 

With  the  coming  of  spring  and  the  Easter  message,  the 
child  reacts  to  the  joys  of  budding  flowers,  return  of 
birds,  hatching  chickens  and  ducks;  life  has  awakened. 
Let  the  children  in  their  play  express  their  interpreta- 
tion of  the  world  alive ;  planting  their  gardens,  watching 
birds  build  their  nests,  and  feeding  the  baby  chickens. 
In  the  quiet  hour  of  play  at  the  nursery  table  let  them 
do  the  same  with  scissors  and  paint. 

CARDS 

The  custom  of  sending  Easter  cards  gives  children  an 
opportunity  to  try  their  skill  in  making  them  to  give 
away.  Patterns  of  the  early  flowers,  as  the  tulip,  crocus, 
jonquil,  violets,  and  pussy  willows,  are  easily  colored  and 
mounted  on  heavy  dark  paper.  A  yellow  chicken  can 
be  cut  out  and  mounted.  From  white  paper  cut  out  half 
the  shell  of  an  egg  and  paste  this  on  the  back  of  the 
chicken.  Cut  out  a  rabbit  sitting  up,  and  color  a  car- 
rot or  orange  which  he  is  eating.  If  this  is  cut  on  a 
fold  of  paper  with  the  fold  coming  on  a  portion  of  one 
side,  it  will  stand  up  beautifully  when  opened.  Write 
an  Easter  greeting  inside,  or  use  it  as  a  place  card  for 
an  Easter  party. 

POT  OF  TULIPS 

Cut  a  piece  of  drawing-paper  eight  and  one  half  inches 
long  and  five  and  one  half  inches  wide.  Fold  the  paper 
in  halves  leaving  one  half  inch  over  at  one  end.  Now 
fold  the  piece  over  again  so  the  paper  will  be  five  and 

162 


HOLIDAYS 

one  half  inches  high  and  two  inches  wide,  with  the  one 
half  inch  extra  which  you  fold  back.  On  another  piece 
of  paper,  five  and  a  half  inches  by  two  inches,  draw  a 
pattern  of  a  tulip  and  leaf  growing  on  each  side  in  a 
flower  pot.  Now  place  the  pattern  on  your  folded  paper. 
Outline  it  and  then  cut  it  out.  When  you  open  this  you 
will  have  four  flowers  in  four  pots  joined  together.  With 
paints  or  crayons  make  brown  pots,  green  leaves,  and 
red  tulips.  Bend  the  four  sides  around  to  make  a  hollow 
square,  and  the  half -inch  flap  is  ready  to  be  painted  to 
the  back  of  the  flower  and  pot.  This  will  stand  alone  and 
prove  to  be  very  effective  to  stand  on  the  window-sill. 

FLOWER  POT 

With  a  piece  of  bogus  or  heavy  paper  make  a  pattern 
of  a  flower  pot  by  drawing  a  slightly  curved  line  eight 
inches  long.  Opposite  this  line  and  three  and  one  half 
inches  below  draw  the  same  curve  only  four  inches  long. 
Connect  the  two  lines  with  slanting  lines  and  cut  it  out. 
At  the  bottom  or  narrow  edge  cut  up  four  slits  an  inch 
apart  and  an  inch  long.  Bring  the  two  slanting  sides 
together  and  fasten  with  brass  pins.  Let  the  cut  papers 
at  the  bottom  lap  over  each  other  and  paste  down,  mak- 
ing a  bottom  to  the  pot.  Fill  the  pot  with  sand  and  stick 
into  it  paper  flowers  and  leaves  which  have  been  cut 
out  and  colored  on  both  sides.  Real  flowers  stuck  into 
the  sand  will  last  for  a  few  hours  if  this  idea  is  to  be 
carried  out  at  a  party.  If  you  desire  to  paint  or  decorate 
the  flower  pot,  do  this  before  cutting  or  shaping  the 
pot. 


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CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

A  BOWL  OF  PANSIES 

The  bowl  is  three  and  three  quarters  inches  high,  five 
and  one  quarter  inches  at  the  widest  part,  tapering  to 
two  inches  at  the  base.  It  may  be  made  from  pale  green 
paper  and  is  cut  on  the  double  fold  at  the  top.  Decorate 
the  bowl  by  first  washing  the  paper  with  clear  water, 
then  drop  a  darker  green  on  at  the  top,  letting  the  color 
float  at  will  over  the  surface.  Other  colored  paper  and 
paints  may  be  used,  such  as  pale  blue  paper  with  dark 
blue  paint,  tan  paper  with  dark  brown,  or  gray  paper 
with  black  paint. 

The  pansies  are  made  from  small  circles  of  any  com- 
bination of  colors  desired.  For  example,  use  dark  and 
Hght  purple  and  dark  and  light  yellow.  It  takes  five 
circles  to  make  a  pansy.  Arrange  the  circles  by  over- 
lapping to  make  the  face.  Two  overlap  at  top,  one  on 
each  side,  and  one  in  front.  Touch  the  faces  with  yel- 
low and  black  crayons  to  get  the  dark  vein  effects  of 
the  flower.  Arrange  five  of  these  pansies  at  the  top  of 
the  bowl  as  if  coming  over  the  edge.  Paste  them  onto 
the  bowl  as  you  make  them.  By  opening  at  the  bottom 
an  Easter  message  or  poem  may  be  written   inside. 

FORSYTHIA  CHAINS 

One  of  the  earliest  shrubs  to  blossom  is  the  forsythia, 
and  the  child  welcomes  gathering  a  few  sprays  to  have 
in  a  vase.  To  represent  these  flowers  in  hand  work  he 
will  enjoy  making  a  forsythia  chain.  From  yellow  tissue 
paper  cut  a  four-pointed  star  with  a  diameter  of  an  inch 
and  a  half.  Make  a  quantity  of  these,  for  a  long  chain  is 

164 


HOLIDAYS 

going  to  be  made.  Give  the  child  a  needle  and  strong 
white  thread;  also  a  lot  of  half -inch  straws.  Now  string 
first  the  straw,  then  go  through  the  center  of  a  yellow 
star,  then  straw,  paper,  etc.  As  the  paper  is  put  on 
crease  it  up  to  look  like  the  flower.  The  yellow  paper 
can  also  be  put  on  in  another  way.  Fold  it  over  and  put 
the  needle  through  the  double  thickness  of  the  center 
end.  Afterwards  the  petals  would  need  to  be  opened  a 
little. 

BLUEBIRD 

On  rather  a  hea\'y  piece  of  paper  draw  a  pair  of  wings 
outspread  and  joined  by  about  an  inch  of  plain  paper 
between.  Next  draw  the  body  of  a  bird;  examples  can 
be  traced  from  a  bird  book.  Let  the  child  color  the 
lower  edge  of  the  breast  an  orange  red  and  the  rest  of 
the  body  and  wings  blue.  Crease  the  wings  at  the  center 
so  that  the  inch  of  plain  paper  acts  as  a  hinge  over  the 
top  of  the  bird's  back.  Paste  these  wings  just  at  the 
crease,  beside  making  a  hole  a  short  distance  below, 
through  which  pass  a  long  piece  of  worsted.  Let  the 
bird  swing  suspended  from  a  high  place  in  the  room 
and  it  will  seem  as  though  it  were  flying.  This  idea 
may  be  carried  out  with  other  birds,  and  a  splendid 
chance  is  given  in  this  way  to  study  the  great  variety 
of  birds. 

THE  PIGEON-HOUSE 

The  birds'  homes  are  always  interesting  to  children. 
Though  the  birds  build  their  nests,  yet  many  will  use  a 
little  house  built  by  human  hands  if  it  seems  to  meet 

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CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

their  needs.  The  pigeon-house  pattern  here  illustrated 
is  made  on  a  fold  of  the  paper,  thus  cutting  at  once  the 
two  sides.  Also,  cut  in  this  way,  it  will  stand.  The  child 
can  cut  the  house  outline,  but  doubtless  he  will  want 
steadier  hands  to  cut  out  the  little  pigeon  and  paste  him 
onto  the  window  sill  of  his  little  house.  While  you  are 
telling  the  story  of  how  little  birds  fly  off  into  the  world 
and  then  come  back,  or  singing  the  sweet  coo  songs  of 
the  birds,  the  child  will  be  happy  making  his  bird-house 
and  will  play  the  experience  you  are  telling  about. 

THE  TEDDY  BEAR 

Outlines  of  large  objects  should  be  given  the  child  at 
first.  The  combination  of  becoming  used  to  handling 
scissors  and  watching  the  picture  he  is  cutting  often  is 
confusing  to  him.  Accidents  happen,  dismembering  a 
head  or  an  arm  of  a  pretty  doll,  which  brings  grief  and 
discouragement.  Trace  the  different  parts  of  the  Teddy 
bear  found  in  the  illustration.  When  enlarged,  these 
will  show  how  simple  the  curves  are  to  follow  and  cut. 
Yet  when  these  pieces  are  put  together  a  wonderful  toy 
is  made.  Join  the  head,  legs,  and  arms  to  the  body  at 
their  proper  places  with  small  brass  fasteners.  These 
pins  permit  motion  of  the  head  and  limbs.  Copy  a  sun- 
bonnet  baby  from  a  child's  book,  making  her  head  and 
arms  move  in  the  same  manner.  With  brass  fastener 
attach  a  watering-pot  to  her  hand;  then  her  arm  can 
move  up  and  down  in  gardener  fashion.  Children  enjoy 
seeing  motion  in  their  playthings;  therefore  it  is  a 
pleasure  to  use  these  forms  of  patterns  in  the  cut-out 
toys. 

166 


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r  ■■      ) 


T 


PAPER  PATTERNS 


HOLIDAYS 


THE  EASTER  GOOSE 


Have  body,  legs,  and  wings  of  a  goose  cut  out  sepa- 
rately of  white  drawing-paper.  Color  the  bill  and  feet 
orange.  Fasten  the  legs  and  wings  to  the  body  with 
brass  fasteners.  This  makes  an  attractive  novelty  for 
Easter. 

FLOATING  DUCK 

Draw  and  cut  out  a  duck,  and  extending  from  the  feet 
keep  on  a  flap  which  is  bent  at  right  angles  and  glued 
onto  a  wooden  button  mould.  Make  several  of  these,  and 
then  let  the  child  have  a  basin  of  water  to  put  his  ducks 
in  for  a  swim.  These  can  be  used  to  introduce  the  idea 
that  many  things  live  in  and  on  the  water. 

THE  ROCKING-HORSE 

The  rocking-horse  really  rocks!  Cut  out  two  parts: 
make  a  flap  by  cutting  away  under  the  horse  down  to 
the  center  of  the  rocker.  With  glue  put  the  two  heads, 
tails,  and  edges  of  backs  together.  When  dry  bend  them 
apart  slightly.  Now  under  the  horse  paste  the  two 
flaps  one  on  top  of  the  other,  holding  the  rocking-horse 
in  place.  Now  you  will  see  that  the  pony  will  stand 
alone  and  rock. 

THE  WHEELBARROW 

The  wheelbarrow  will  be  of  interest  to  make,  especially 
when  talking  about  the  farmer  and  of  how  many  times 
he  has  use  for  this  hand  vehicle.  This  pattern  is  also 
cut  on  a  double  fold  of  paper.  The  fold  is  seen  just  at 

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CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

the  top  of  the  wheel  in  front.  If  cut  in  this  way,  it  will 
stand  alone.  A  shovel  can  be  made  by  folding  a  small 
square  piece  of  paper  and  sticking  a  toothpick  into  it. 
Let  the  shovel  bend  open  below  the  toothpick. 

THE  COTTAGE 

The  cottage  also  is  put  together  with  glue  by  the  chim- 
neys and  top  edge  of  the  roof.  When  dry,  it  can  be  bent 
to  spread  a  little  and  then  will  stand  alone.  Cut  out 
half  of  the  doors  on  each  side,  bending  them  open  a  little. 
With  colored  crayons  the  roof  can  be  made  green,  house 
brown,  blinds  green,  chimneys  red;  and  rambler  roses 
or  trumpet  vines  should  climb  over  the  doorways.  With 
a  group  of  houses  like  this,  children  can  play  as  if  living 
in  a  village.  The  impromptu-built  house  will  often  sat- 
isfy better  than  one  more  elaborately  constructed. 

THE  WIND 

The  wind,  which  we  cannot  see,  yet  does  so  many 
thmgs,  is  a  source  of  much  interest  and  fascination. 
A  windmill  in  action  illustrates  the  story;  so  here  is 
placed  an  attractive  pattern  of  one  which  a  child  can 
cut  out  himself.  At  one  side  is  a  point  which  is  bent 
around  and  put  into  the  slit  cut  on  the  other  side.  This 
enables  the  windmill  to  stand  up.  Cut  out  two  fans, 
place  them  on  top  of  each  other  at  right  angles,  and  with 
a  brass  pin  fasten  them  to  the  top  of  the  mill.  They  will 
be  free  to  pivot  as  the  child  pushes  them  or  the  wind 
catches  and  turns  them. 

The  Dutch  windmill  represents  a  gala  day  with  these 
little  children  of  Holland  who  seem  to  be  playing  ring- 
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WINDMILLS 


HOLIDAYS 

around-a-rosy  about  their  mill.  Make  a  large  circle  of 
heavy  cardboard.  Around  the  edge  paste  the  Dutch 
children.  They  are  cut  out  on  a  double  fold  of  paper 
and  painted  in  the  fashion  of  the  clothing  of  that  coun- 
try. The  windmill  is  made  of  two  empty  ribbon  bolts 
glued  one  on  top  of  the  other.  A  conical  top  made  of 
cardboard  is  pasted  over  the  top,  and  all  is  covered 
with  a  coat  of  shellac.  A  door  is  half  cut  and  bent 
back  in  the  lower  section.  The  fans  are  made  of 
pieces  of  cardboard  pasted  onto  narrow  wooden  slats. 
These  are  pinned  to  the  mill  with  brass  fasteners  and 
are  movable.  This  Dutch  scene  would  make  an  attrac- 
tive centerpiece  on  the  table  at  a  child's  birthday  party. 
Tiny  favors,  placed  inside  the  doors,  could  be  pulled  out 
with  ribbon  streamers. 

PIN  WHEELS 

The  simplest  form  of  a  windmill  is  a  pin  wheel  made 
quickly  from  a  piece  of  paper.  Take  a  five-  or  six-inch 
square  of  colored  paper.  Fold  it  to  make  the  two 
diagonal  creases.  If  desired  a  design  can  be  drawn  be- 
tween each  fold,  or  a  design  cut  from  a  contrasting  col- 
ored paper.  At  about  three  quarters  of  an  inch  from 
the  center  of  the  paper  make  a  pencil  mark.  From  the 
four  corners  cut  on  the  diagonal  creases  as  far  as  the 
mark.  Bend  each  of  the  four  corners  to  the  middle. 
Join  them  with  a  pin  stuck  through  a  small  cardboard 
first,  then  the  paper  corners,  and  finally  into  the  end 
of  a  stick  of  wood.  Holding  this  toward  the  wind  the 
paper  will  pivot  round  and  round  on  the  pin  and  give 
pleasure  to  even  the  youngest  child. 

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CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

WEATHER  VANES 

For  the  older  boys  and  girls  there  are  many  interesting 
subjects  from  which  to  copy  weather  vanes.  To  one  who 
has  ever  visited  Cape  Cod  the  remembrance  of  seeing 
many  little  wooden  windmills  whirling  in  the  breeze  will 
never  be  forgotten.  Patterned  after  the  historic  mills  of 
the  Cape,  which  once  helped  to  make  salt,  a  piece  of 
wood  is  whittled  out  with  five  sloping  sides  coming  to  a 
pointed  top.  Near  the  top  on  one  side  are  the  four  fans, 
which  pivot  on  a  nail  driven  partially  into  the  mill.  On 
the  opposite  side  at  the  bottom  is  a  piece  of  wood  run- 
ning out  horizontally  the  same  number  of  inches  as  the 
mill  is  high.  From  the  top  of  the  mill  out  to  the  end  of 
the  piece  of  wood  is  a  small  stick,  at  the  end  of  which 
is  a  small  round  piece  of  wood  resembling  a  wheel.  This 
construction  is  to  represent  the  balance  wheel  of  the 
fans  on  the  opposite  side,  and  as  the  wind  turns  them, 
the  wheel  turns  on  the  ground.  In  the  center  of  the  bot- 
tom of  this  little  mill  make  a  hole  an  inch  deep.  In  this 
place  a  stick  which  you  hold  or  fasten  to  a  fence  or 
piazza  and  the  wind  will  turn  the  mill  to  its  quarter. 
At  the  same  time  the  fans  will  whiz  faster  and  faster. 

HYDROPLANE 

A  BOY  can  easily  whittle  a  hydroplane  from  a  shingle 
It  can  also  be  made  from  cardboard.  Follow  a  picture 
in  a  magazine  to  make  the  right-shaped  body.  At  right 
angles  to  the  body  fasten  flat,  narrow  pieces  at  the  top 
and  bottom  of  the  front  part.  At  the  end  of  these  wings 
on  both  sides  hold  them  together  with  toothpicks  driven 

170 


HOLIDAYS 

in  and  glued.  At  the  nose  of  the  body  place  the  pro- 
peller which  rotates  on  a  nail  driven  into  this  part.  Just 
under  the  front  of  the  body  and  through  the  lower  wing 
make  a  hole  where  a  nail  or  small  stick  may  go,  on  which 
the  whole  hydroplane  pivots  when  the  wind  turns  it. 
The  propeller  will  turn  just  as  fast  as  the  wind. 

MAY 

With  the  month  of  May  comes  the  old  English  custom 
of  celebrating  in  festival  form  the  beginning  of  summer. 
On  May  Day,  the  first  day  of  the  month,  children  gather 
flowers  and  crown  a  fair  playmate  the  Queen  of  the  May 
on  her  throne  before  a  Maypole.  Decked  with  beautiful 
colored  streamers  groups  of  children  catch  hold  of  these 
streamers  and  wind  them  in  and  out  while  dancing  before 
their  Queen. 

A  simple  custom  which  children  in  many  countries 
enjoy  is  the  making  of  pretty  paper  baskets,  filling 
them  with  flowers  which  they  have  gathered,  and  mys- 
teriously hanging  them  on  the  doorknobs  of  their  little 
friends'  homes. 

MAY  BASKETS 

I.  For  a  foundation,  take  a  round  paper  drinking-cup 
or  a  paper  charlotte  russe  mould.  Cover  the  outside 
with  colored  tissue  paper  and  with  paper  fringe  dress 
up  the  basket,  tying  with  long  streamers  and  putting 
on  a  handle. 

II.  Cut  in  two-inch  lengths  a  cardboard  roll  used  for 
wide  ribbon  or  paper  toweling  roll.  Cover  the  bottom 
with  a  heavy  circle  of  cardboard.  From  pink  and  green 

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CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

cr^pe  paper,  cut  from  each  color  six  oval-shaped  petals 
two  and  a  half  inches  long  and  one  and  a  half  inches 
wide.  With  paste  put  the  pink  petals  around  the  outside 
of  the  basket  letting  them  lap  a  little.  Place  the  green 
petals  outside  of  the  pink  in  the  same  way  and  finish 
the  bottom  neatly  with  more  green  paper.  Pull  the  edges 
of  the  petals  out  a  little,  giving  a  wavy  appearance. 
Paste  fringed  white  paper  inside  the  basket.  For  a 
handle  take  millinery  wire  and  wind  it  with  a  strip  of 
narrow  crepe  paper.  This  makes  an  effective  basket  not 
only  for  May  Day,  but  for  candies  or  nuts  at  the  birth- 
day table. 

III.  In  the  center  of  a  large  sheet  of  drawing  paper 
make  a  two  and  one  half  inch  square.  This  is  to  be 
the  bottom  of  the  basket.  From  each  of  the  four  sides 
work  out  a  pattern  of  a  flower  or  chicken  or  rabbit. 
Draw  the  design  large  enough  so  that,  when  cut  out 
and  bent  upwards,  the  four  corners  will  meet,  making 
a  flap  which  can  be  pasted  over  to  the  next  side.  This 
will  hold  the  sides  of  the  box  together.  Once  the  pat- 
tern is  accurately  worked  out,  it  can  be  traced  on  heav- 
ier paper,  and  the  child  can  then  make  it  all  himself. 
Before  pasting,  color  the  design,  as  it  is  easier  to  do 
when  flat.  Put  on  a  handle  with  paste  or  brass  fas- 
teners. 

IV.  A  simple  way  to  make  an  attractive  box  is  to  cut 
a  piece  of  heavy  paper  into  the  shape  of  a  Red  Cross. 
At  a  short  distance  from  each  end  bend  over  a  section, 
which  decorate  with  design  bands  of  color  or  vine  of 
flowers.  Two  holes  are  punched  on  each  side  of  the  four 
sides.  These  four  sides  are  now  bent  up  at  right  angles 

172 


HOLIDAYS 

to  the  bottom  square.  Through  the  holes  punched  on 
the  sides  tie  heavy  silk  wool  or  raffia;  thus  the  box  is 
completed. 

mothers'  day 

The  second  Sunday  of  May  has  been  set  aside  to 
commemorate  the  devotion  our  mothers  bestowed  upon 
us.  Throughout  the  United  States  the  custom  has  been 
established  that,  if  possible,  every  one  wears  a  pink 
carnation  if  his  mother  is  living  and  a  white  carnation 
if  dead.  The  little  children  can  none  too  early  in  life 
begin  to  show  their  appreciation  of  mother  love,  and 
they  will  enjoy  celebrating  this  day  by  gathering  flowers 
to  bring  to  her  either  by  hand  or  in  a  May  basket. 

NATIONAL  HOLIDAYS 

In  every  country  there  are  special  days  set  aside  for 
historical  reasons  when  patriotism  and  loyalty  to  one's 
country  should  be  emphasized  in  the  life  of  all  children. 
History  of  wars  cannot  mean  much  to  them,  but  there 
is  a  sense  of  citizenship  which  should  arise  in  every 
bosom  when  the  national  flag  waves  on  high.  Festivals 
appropriate  to  custom  should  be  entered  into  by  every 
family.  If  Father  and  Mother  do  this,  the  example  is 
set  for  the  children.  Interest  in  the  community,  state, 
and  nation  should  be  embodied  in  the  spirit  and  ideals 
of  every  citizen  young  and  old. 

CAMPING  GROUND 

The  soldier  and  his  tent  life  make  a  fascinating  subject 
for  occupational  work.   In  another  chapter  is  found  a 

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CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

description  of  folding  paper  to  make  a  tent.  This  one 
reminds  us  of  the  Indian  wigwam;  therefore  the  fol- 
lowing instructions  will  result  in  a  likeness  of  the 
modern  camp  for  soldiers. 

Take  a  large  piece  of  green  paper  or  white  paper 
crayoned  green,  calling  it  the  field  on  which  the  tents 
are  to  be  placed.  White  or  light  brown  paper,  three 
inches  wide  and  five  inches  long,  is  used  for  a  tent. 
Fold  this  paper  to  get  a  middle  crease.  At  each  end 
fold  over  one  quarter  of  an  inch.  Place  this  quarter- 
inch  fold  down  onto  the  green,  pitching  the  paper  at  a 
proper  angle.  Make  rows  of  tents  on  each  side  of  the 
green.  At  the  head  of  this  field  make  a  few  larger  ones 
for  the  oSicers.  Brown  paper  can  be  folded  to  make 
cots  to  be  placed  in  the  tents.  A  flagpole  on  which  is  a 
paper  flag  must  be  before  the  officers'  tents.  If  just  one 
tent  is  being  made  and  placed  on  a  small  piece  of  green 
paper,  paste  a  small  paper  flag  on  a  toothpick  and  in- 
sert into  a  hole  in  the  top  crease  of  the  tent. 


XIII 
GAMES 

PLAY  is  the  chief  business  of  the  child."  It  is  the 
medium  through  which  he  expresses  himself,  and 
therefore  if  encouraged  in  right  channels,  play  becomes 
educational.  If  parents  and  teachers  properly  under- 
stand the  play  of  children,  due  recognition  of  its  value 
will  be  given  it  in  their  daily  life. 

The  first  plays  of  the  chiM  are  with  its  mother. 
These  are  activities  of  the  muscles,  such  as  the  Finger 
Plays  described  in  chapter  I,  and  different  movements 
with  the  limbs.  Soon  he  is  conscious  that  some  one  is 
playing  with  him,  there  seems  to  be  a  special  aim  in 
what  is  being  played,  and  then  comes  the  rise  of  the 
term  "game." 

Unconsciously,  however,  the  child  begins  to  form 
ideas  of  loyalty,  fair  play,  cooperation,  kindness,  and 
sympathy  for  others.  There  is  the  social  cooperation 
and  wholesome  competition,  as  well  as  development  of 
poise,  balance,  and  an  excellent  means  of  character- 
building.  It  is  said  that  "the  new  type  of  education 
must  concern  itself  with  developing  ideas  and  ideals  of 
cooperation."  Does  not  the  game  have  an  important 
bearing  upon  this  statement  .f*  In  games  a  child  has  a 
chance  to  exhibit  his  ability  not  only  to  be  a  good  leader, 
but  to  be  a  good  follower;  that  is,  to  play  the  game  and 
to  back  up  his  leader.  Each  child  reaps  the  benefit  of 
his  earnest  endeavors  and  is  given  due  credit.    The 

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CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

timid  child  is  made  less  self-conscious,  the  over-stimu- 
lated child  learns  the  lesson  of  self-control.  He  mi- 
consciously  begins  to  realize  that  "obedience  to  law  is 
liberty."  Not  license  but  conformation  to  law  and 
order  brings  happiness.  If,  then,  the  seeds  of  unselfish- 
ness, courtesy,  and  lovingkindness  are  nurtured  in 
childhood,  the  flower  of  good  citizenship  cannot  fail  to 
bloom  in  later  life. 

Plato  says,  "Children  should  be  brought  together  in 
groups  and  taught  games."  The  group  or  ring  game  is 
like  a  firm  in  which  all  must  do  their  share  willingly 
and  give  the  best  that  is  in  them  to  win  success.  It  is 
the  purpose  of  this  chapter  to  suggest  games  which  will 
develop  the  best  that  is  in  the  young  child.  Different 
types  of  games  bring  out  different  benefits.  These  may 
be  classified  under  different  headings. 

GYMNASTIC  EXERCISES 

These  are  concerned  chiefly  with  the  development  of 
physical  powers;  exercising  the  large  muscles,  skill  in 
coordinating  them,  and  the  growth  and  control  over 
movements.  In  very  young  children  we  see  these  plays 
in  kicking,  waving  arms  round  and  round  like  a  wheel, 
swaying  the  whole  body  up  and  down,  and  sideways 
like  a  see-saw.  When  the  child  gets  on  his  feet  we  find 
him  walking,  running,  galloping,  hopping,  and  skipn 
ping.  As  he  grows  still  older  all  those  movements  enter 
into  the  activities  called  games,  some  more  strenuously 
than  others.  Jumping  the  rope,  skating,  and  rolling 
the  hoop,  are  activities  which  suggest  movement  every 
moment.    Gymnastic  exercises  with  arms,  legs,  head, 

176 


GAMES 

and  body,  no  matter  how  simple,  should  be  used  daily. 
It  is  play  to  the  child  if  the  commands  are  given  with 
the  right  spirit  and  Father  is  doing  them,  too. 
Head: 

Forward  bend. 

Backward  bend. 

Left  sideways  turn. 

Right  sideways  turn. 
Arms: 

Sideways  raise,  up  and  down,  like  birds. 

Forward  raise,  hands  open,  shut,  open,  clap. 

Forward  raise,  swing  back  as  in  swimming. 

Upward  raise,  clap  hands  over  head. 

Upward  raise,  fingers  move  like  twinkling  stars. 
Body: 

Hands  on  hips. 

Bend  forward,  backward,  sideways,  etc. 
Legs: 

Swing  right  foot,  then  left  foot. 

Hop  on  right  foot,  then  on  left  foot. 

Hop  on  both  feet  together. 

Bend  at  knees  and  hop  like  frog. 

Sit  on  floor,  lift  right  leg,  lift  left  leg. 
All  in  action: 

"Walk  slowly,  walk  fast. 

Run  slowly,  run  fast. 

Gallop  like  horses. 

Fly  like  birds. 

Creep  like  mice. 

March  like  soldiers. 

Tip-toe  like  fairies. 

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CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

IMITATIVE  GAMES 

As  the  child  grows,  so  does  he  imitate  all  that  is  about 
him.  He  beats  the  imaginary  drums,  waves  flags, 
imitates  all  animal  life.  The  child's  whole  play  life  is 
imitative,  for  as  he  enters  the  group  and  ring  games  he 
must  do  what  others  do.  Playing  house  is  an  imitation 
of  Mother  in  the  home,  and  playing  school  is  the  living 
over  again  the  day  spent  in  a  schoolroom.  The  older 
child  is  imitating  teacher  and  the  little  tots  must  do  as 
directed. 

Follow  the  Leader.  One  child  is  chosen  to  lead  and  the 
other  players  form  in  one  long  line  behind  him.  They 
must  do  exactly  what  he  does  as  he  keeps  moving.  If 
he  skips,  they  skip;  he  hops,  they  hop;  he  sits  down, 
they  sit  down;  he  waves  his  hands,  they  wave  their 
hands,  etc.,  until  they  are  tired  and  all  sit  down  to 
rest. 

Magic  Circles.  A  number  of  good-sized  circles  are 
made  on  the  floor  or  playground.  A  leader  is  chosen 
and  the  children  follow  him  imitating  him  running, 
skipping,  galloping,  going  in  and  out  of  the  circles. 
When  the  leader  claps  all  stand  still.  Those  who  happen 
to  be  standing  in  circles  when  he  claps  have  to  leave 
the  line  and  sit  down.  The  object  is  to  see  who  can 
stay  in  the  game  the  longest  and  yet  follow  the  leader. 

Five  Little  Kittens.  Five  children  are  chosen  from  the 
group  to  imitate  in  action  the  verse  which  the  rest  of 
the  children  say  together: 

"Five  little  kittens  playing  on  the  floor. 
One  ran  away  and  then  there  were  four. 
178 


GAMES 

Four  little  kittens,  happy  as  could  be. 

Another  scampered  off  and  then  there  were  three. 

Three  little  kittens  biting  at  a  shoe. 

One  became  tired  and  then  there  were  two. 

Two  little  kittens  having  lots  of  fun. 

One  got  hurt  and  then  there  was  one. 

One  little  kitten  left  all  alone. 

He  fell  asleep  and  then  there  was  none." 

Toy  Shop.  Children  are  in  a  circle  and  have  been 
singing  Christmas  and  Santa  Claus  songs.  All  are  sup- 
posed to  have  returned  from  a  visit  to  the  Toy  Shop. 
They  wish  to  tell  what  they  have  seen  there.  The  play 
is  to  imitate  what  each  one  saw  while  the  others  guess 
what  it  is.  Give  each  child  a  turn  to  act  out  in  the 
center  of  the  circle  the  way  he  would  play  with  this 
certain  toy.  When  the  children  have  guessed  what  it  is, 
they  all  do  the  same.  Better  order  is  kept  by  having 
music,  doing  the  action  to  even  time.  Find  a  refrain  of 
one  of  the  Christmas  songs  which  has  good,  snappy 
rhythm,  playing  it  over  and  over  again,  slow  or  fast, 
soft  or  loud,  according  to  the  best  way  of  illustrating 
the  toy  action  in  progress. 

I.  Drum. 

With  two  hands  beat  the  air  as  if  holding  drum- 
sticks.   Make  sounds  with  mouth  like  the  roll  of 
a  drum.  The  piano  would  play  in  the  bass  clef. 
II.  Music  box. 

Left  hand  holds  a  make-believe  music  box. 
Right  hand  goes  round  and  round  on  top  of  it  as  if 
turning  the  handle.  Piano  plays  on  upper  treble 
clef  of  piano  while  children  hum  in  high-pitched 
tones  the  tune  being  played. 
179 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

III.  Horn. 

Hold  hands  in  front  of  mouth  as  if  holding 
trumpet.  With  the  music  the  children  sing  with 
these  words,  *' toot-toot-toot," 

IV.  Train  of  cars. 

Circle  of  children  turn  in  their  places  to  form  a 
line.  Put  hands  on  the  shoulders  of  friend  in  front 
of  him.  With  time  of  music  take  small,  shuffling 
steps  saying,  "Chu-chu-chu.'*  In  this  manner  go 
around  in  the  circle  formation  until  music  stops. 
V.  Baby  Doll. 

Each  child  folds  arms  as  if  holding  baby.   Swing 
arms  left  to  right  humming  a  lullaby  with  music. 
VI.   Jumping  Jack. 

Each  child  in  squatting  position.  Hands  on 
top  of  head.  Some  one  says,  1-2-3.  All  jump  up 
together,  throwing  hands  up  in  air  and  squeaking 
hke  the  Jumping  Jack. 

SENSE  GAMES 

The  sense  plays  are  so  called  because  they  have  to  do 
particularly  with  the  training  of  the  five  senses,  Sight, 
Touch,  Hearing,  Taste,  and  Smell.  These  are  developed 
through  the  eye,  ear,  and  hand.  Through  plays  and 
games  which  develop  these  senses  the  child  will  be 
trained  to  act  more  intelligently.  He  will  be  more  skill- 
ful in  interpreting  impressions  for  himself  as  well  as  ex- 
cel in  accuracy  and  concentration. 

Sight. 

I.  For  the  little  child  an  excellent  way  to  stimulate 
observation  is  to  ask  him  to  find  different  objects  in  the 

180 


GAMES 

room,  pointing  to  them  when  he  sees  them,  such  as  the 
clock,  rocking-chair,  picture,  window,  book,  etc. 

II.  Let  the  child  tell  all  he  sees  in  a  picture  you  are 
showing  him. 

III.  Have  a  vase  containing  several  well-known  flow- 
ers. Let  him  describe  them,  their  color  and  shape.  Do 
the  same  with  a  basket  of  fruit. 

IV.  Place  several  objects  on  a  table.  Show  them  to 
the  child  letting  him  name  them  and  examine  them.  He 
must  then  turn  away  closing  his  eyes  while  you  remove 
an  article.  He  then  turns  back  and  tries  to  guess  what  is 
missing  from  the  group.  When  a  child  is  a  little  older, 
the  game  may  be  made  more  difficult.  Let  him  look 
at  the  row  of  articles  while  you  count  ten,  then 
cover  them  up  quickly  asking  him  to  name  the  arti- 
cles he  saw.  Observation  and  memory  enter  into  this 
game. 

Who  is  it  ?  Children  are  seated  in  a  circle  formation 
and  one  is  asked  to  leave  the  room.  When  he  has  gone, 
one  or  two  children  leave  the  circle  and  hide.  The  first 
child  is  then  called  back  and  is  asked,  "TMio  has  gone 
from  the  ring?"  If  he  guesses  correctly,  another  child 
tries  to  guess;  if  not  he  must  try  again. 

Hide  the  Thimble.  With  a  very  little  child  make  the 
game  as  simple  as  possible.  Put  a  small  object  like  a 
thimble,  spool,  nut,  or  shell,  in  plain  view.  Tell  him  to 
get  it  and  bring  it  to  you.  Next  time  ask  the  child  to 
close  his  eyes  while  once  again  you  place  the  object  in 
plain  view.  Ask  him  to  discover  it  and  bring  it  to  you. 
The  third  time  ask  him  to  go  out  of  the  room  while  you 
hide  it.  He  finds  it  a^ain,  but  this  time  tell  him  that  he 

181 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

must  not  take,  touch,  or  point  to  it,  but  just  sit  down 
when  he  has  discovered  it. 

With  a  group  of  children  it  is  played  in  the  following 
way:  One  child  goes  out  of  the  room  while  the  object  is 
being  hidden.  He  returns  to  find  it  and  is  helped  by  the 
clapping  of  hands  or  music,  which  grows  louder  as  he 
nears  the  hiding-place  and  softer  as  he  goes  away  from  it. 

Color  Game.  Use  soft,  colored  balls  made  by  crochet- 
ing  worsted  coats  over  small  rubber  balls.  The  rainbow 
colors  are  the  seven  standard  colors;  red,  orange,  yel- 
low, green,  blue,  indigo,  and  violet,  and  should  be  used 
at  this  time  to  teach  colors.  Let  the  children  form  a 
ring,  each  having  one  or  more  balls  according  to  the 
supply.    Choose  one  child  to  say,  holding  up  his  ball, 

*'  Use  your  eyes,  use  your  eyes. 
Quickly  look  and  see; 
And  if  your  ball  is  the  color  of  mine 
Bring  it  here  to  me." 

When  a  child  matches  correctly,  then  let  him  be  the  one 
to  say  the  rhyme  after  the  colored  balls  have  been 
changed  around.  Other  articles  can  be  used  such  as 
blocks,  shells,  flags,  or  flowers.  The  same  rhyme  is  used 
inserting  the  name  of  the  object  instead  of  ball. 

Game  of  Four.  Children  are  standing  in  a  ring;  one  is 
chosen  to  be  blindfolded.  Four  are  chosen  from  the  ring 
and  stand  in  front  of  him.  His  eyes  are  opened  long 
enough  for  some  one  to  count  four.  In  the  meantime  he 
looks  at  the  four  playmates.  Again  he  is  blindfolded  and 
the  four  children  scamper  on  tip-toes  to  their  places  in 
the  circle.  Now  the  child  can  look  again,  and  this  time 
must  pick  out  the  four  who  stood  in  front  of  him. 

182 


GAMES 

Ring  Toss.  Have  half  a  dozen  rope  rings  at  hand,  and 
drive  a  stake  into  the  ground,  letting  it  project  from  the 
ground  about  a  foot.  Each  child  has  a  turn  tossing  the 
rings  over  the  stake.  Accuracy  of  sight  is  needed  for 
this  game,  and  the  experience  trains  the  child  in  meas- 
urement of  distance.  It  is  more  exciting  when  two  sides 
are  chosen  for  the  game.  The  point  then  is  to  see  which 
side  puts  the  most  rings  over  in  a  certain  number  of  turns. 

Hearing. 

Training  the  ear  is  of  equal  importance  with  the  eye, 
for  through  the  ability  to  hear,  listen,  and  listen  aright, 
one  is  able  to  enjoy  and  interpret  so  much  that  is  beauti- 
ful in  life.  With  the  youngest  child  one  must  begin  by 
calling  to  him  and  speaking  in  quiet  tones.  Let  him  hear 
different  sounds  made  by  striking  several  objects.  With 
his  back  turned  let  him  try  to  distinguish  different 
sounds,  such  as  ringing  a  bell,  blowing  a  whistle,  knock- 
ing on  wood,  and  clapping  hands. 

Blind  Man.  From  the  circle  choose  one  to  be  in  the 
center,  blindfolded,  and  holding  a  cane  in  his  hand.  The 
children  march  or  skip  around  him,  with  or  without 
music,  until  he  taps  on  the  floor  with  his  cane.  They 
stand  still  and  the  blind  man  points  with  his  stick  at 
some  child  in  the  ring  who  steps  forward  and  grasps  the 
other  end  of  the  cane  in  his  hand.  The  blind  man  asks 
him  to  make  a  noise  like  an  animal.  Examples :  moo  like 
a  cow,  bark  like  a  dog,  baa  like  a  sheep.  When  this  is 
done  the  blind  man  tries  to  guess  who  it  is.  If  he  guesses 
correctly,  they  change  places;  if  not  the  same  blind 
man  must  try  again. 

183 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

Ring,  Bell,  Ring!  Children  form  a  circle.  One  cliild  is 
blindfolded  and  stands  in  the  center.  Near  by,  inside 
the  circle,  is  another  player  who  holds  a  bell.  The  blind 
man  calls  out  "Ring,  Bell,  Ring!"  Whereupon  the  bell 
is  rung  and  the  one  blindfolded  points  in  the  direction 
from  which  the  sound  comes,  or  he  may  walk  toward  the 
bell-ringer.  The  bell-ringer  may  on  tip-toes  try  to  run  a 
little  in  different  directions,  ringing  the  bell  at  short  in- 
tervals. The  blind  man  tries  to  run  after  and  catch  him, 
guided  by  the  sound.  It  is  sometimes  well  to  set  a  time 
limit  upon  this  activity,  that  others  may  have  a  chance 
to  take  their  turn  at  playing  the  game. 

Who  am  I?  Child  is  chosen  to  be  blindfolded  in  the 
center  of  the  circle.  Another  child  advances,  speaks  to 
him,  saying  in  a  natural  voice,  "Guess  who  I  am," 
"How  do  you  do,"  "It  is  a  sunny  day."  The  one  blind- 
folded must  guess  who  is  speaking.  If  he  guesses  right, 
then  all  clap,  and  the  one  who  spoke  is  next  blind- 
folded. If  the  person  cannot  guess  who  talks,  then  an- 
other must  try.  For  older  children,  a  few  bars  of  music 
may  be  sung  instead  of  conversation.  This  is  more  diffi- 
cult, but  a  great  deal  of  fun,  and  naturally  the  children 
must  be  intimate  friends  to  recognize  either  a  speaking 
or  singing  voice. 

Guessing  Rhythms.  While  a  child  is  blindfolded  let  the 
rest  of  the  children  interpret  some  rhythmic  motion 
such  as  skipping,  galloping,  running,  hopping.  The 
blindfolded  child  must  guess  the  form  of  motion. 

Walks  with  children  in  field  and  wood  create  a  deep- 
ening sense  of  impression  as  well  as  train  the  ears  and 
eyes  for  good  service.   Games  may  be  played  along 

184 


GAMES 

the  way,  such  as  standing  still  a  few  moments  with 
eyes  shut,  listening  intently,  then  telling  what  is 
heard. 

With  eyes  open  look  carefully  in  all  directions,  then 
close  eyes  telling  what  has  been  seen.  Count  every 
bird's  nest  seen,  or  a  certain  kind  of  tree  or  animal. 
Lessons  in  arithmetic  as  well  as  observation  are  thus 
being  given,  while  acquiring  knowledge  in  the  happiest 
atmosphere.  Enlargement  of  the  vocabulary  and  free- 
dom of  expression  with  the  mother  tongue  should  be 
realized  in  this  form  of  play. 

Touch. 

To  develop  the  sense  of  touch  let  the  child  feel  dif- 
ferent objects,  such  as  balls,  blocks,  toys,  spoon,  fork, 
plate,  brush,  etc.  Now  blindfold  him,  place  one  of  these 
objects  in  his  hands  letting  him  tell  what  it  is.  Continue 
with  these  articles  making  a  game  out  of  it  while  he  is 
fast  training  the  sense  of  touch.  Much  can  be  learned  in 
discrimination  of  different  materials. 

Use  pieces  of  silk,  taffeta  and  satin,  velvet,  woolen, 
canton  flannel,  and  cotton  cloth.  Let  the  child  examine 
and  feel  of  each  piece.  After  they  have  been  shaken 
up  in  a  box,  let  him  draw  them  out  one  by  one, 
while  his  eyes  are  closed,  and  name  the  kind  of 
material. 

Train  his  touch  to  the  difference  between  hard  and 
soft,  like  a  wooden  chair  and  a  pillow,  rough  and 
smooth,  such  as  whisk  broom  and  the  kitty's  fur;  heat 
and  cold,  like  a  flat  iron  in  use  and  a  piece  of  ice;  dry 
and  wet,  like  flour  and  water. 

185 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

Have  separate  boxes  filled  with  materials,  such  as 
sand,  pebbles,  seeds,  shells.  By  touch  let  him  learn  to 
know  them.  This  can  also  be  used  for  hearing,  as  shak- 
ing each  box  will  give  a  different  sound. 

Children  stand  in  a  circle  with  hands  open  behind 
them.  One  child  is  chosen  to  walk  behind  them  with  a 
basket  of  articles.  He  places  something  in  each  one  of 
these  open  hands.  Now  the  children  begin  to  feel  what 
they  have,  trying  to  give  the  name.  The  leader  stands 
in  the  center  of  the  circle  and  asks  each  one  in  turn 
what  he  has.  After  he  has  named  it,  he  holds  it  up  high 
for  all  to  see  and  decide  if  he  has  said  correctly. 

Skip  Tag.  Players  are  in  ring  formation  and  one  is 
chosen  to  skip  around  the  outside  of  the  circle.  He  does 
so,  and  suddenly  touches  one  of  the  children  in  the  circle 
on  the  shoulder.  That  one  immediately  starts  skipping 
after  the  first  child  trying  to  touch  him  before  he  enters 
the  vacant  space  of  the  circle.  If  he  does  not  touch  him, 
then  he  must  go  skipping  and  tagging  some  one  else.  It 
all  must  be  done  by  skipping;  thus  music  can  be  used  if 
desired. 

Tip-toe-tap.  All  the  children  are  seated  on  the  floor, 
or  they  may  be  kneeling  or  squatting.  Their  eyes  are 
closed.  One  child  with  his  eyes  opened  runs  on  tip-toes 
around  the  circle  and  finally  touches  a  child  on  the  head. 
The  one  who  touches  goes  back  to  his  place,  the  tapped 
child  opens  his  eyes  and  tip-toes  around  touching  some 
one  else.  The  game  continues  until  all  have  had  a  turn 
to  open  their  eyes  and  tip-toe  around  to  tap  a  friend. 
This  gives  the  sense  of  touch  an  opportunity  to  be  active 
and  yet  the  game  is  very  quiet. 

186 


GAMES 

Smell  and  Taste. 

Games  of  discrimination  for  these  senses  may  be 
played  in  the  same  manner  as  described  for  the  other 
senses.  Through  the  medium  of  fruits  different  flavors 
can  be  learned.  Have  separate  dishes  containing  pieces 
of  fruit,  such  as  apple,  orange,  banana,  lemon,  and  ber- 
ries of  some  kind.  The  child,  whose  eyes  must  be  closed, 
tells  what  fruit  is  placed  in  his  mouth.  A  small  portion 
is  sufficient. 

As  certain  scents  identify  flowers,  this  same  game 
may  be  used  to  train  the  sense  of  smell.  Choose  a  few 
well-known  flowers  which  have  been  discussed  with  the 
child.  With  his  eyes  closed  test  his  sense  by  trying  one 
flower  at  a  time. 

BALL  GAMES 

Play  with  the  ball  is  of  great  benefit  to  the  little  child. 
It  is  valuable  training  for  the  hand,  eye,  ear,  rhythm, 
and  muscular  movements  for  the  entire  body.  Let  the 
child  have  balls  of  different  sizes  and  experiment  freely 
with  them,  such  as  bouncing,  catching,  tossing,  and 
rolling.  You  will  notice  how  awkwardly  the  ball  is 
handled  at  first.  It  will  be  hard  even  to  roll  it  in  a  de- 
sired direction,  but  soon  skill  will  develop  as  he  gains 
control  over  his  muscles. 

Roll  to  hit  a  spot  in  opposite  wall  of  room. 

Roll  through  a  ring  drawn  with  chalk  on  the  floor. 

Roll  so  the  ball  will  stop  in  the  chalk  ring. 

Roll  to  hit  an  object  placed  at  a  distance  on  the  floor. 

Roll  through  a  wicket. 

Bounce  and  catch. 

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CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

Toss  and  catch. 

Bounce  to  a  partner  who  in  turn  bounces  back. 

Toss  to  a  partner  who  in  turn  tosses  back. 

Bounce  catch  —  toss  catch. 

As  the  child  gains  in  mastery  over  tossing  and  bounc- 
ing, a  new  element,  that  of  music,  may  enter  in.  An  ex- 
cellent game  for  the  ring  is  played  by  letting  a  child 
stand  in  the  center  and  bounce  to  each  little  friend  in 
turn  who  catches  it  and  bounces  it  back  to  the  time  of 
music.  Any  simple  waltz  may  be  used  emphasizing  the 
first  beat  of  every  other  measure.  All  the  suggestive  ex- 
ercises of  tossing  and  bouncing  can  be  doubly  enjoyed 
if  done  to  music.  All  the  games  may  be  used  in  a  double 
ring  formation  so  that  they  are  played  with  partners. 
Naturally  these  would  not  be  attempted  until  the  child 
had  gained  a  good  bit  of  skill  so  that  he  would  rejoice  in 
his  ability  to  carry  out  the  exercises  to  a  successful  fin- 
ish. 

SOCIAL  GAMES 

Another  type  of  game  which  the  child  will,  by  this 
time,  enjoy  playing  is  the  so-called  social  game.  This 
combines  the  good  qualities  of  all  plays  heretofore  dis- 
cussed. The  element  of  relationship  is  introduced,  the 
joy  of  togetherness,  helpful  cooperation  and  the  realiza- 
tion that  others  must  join  to  make  the  game  a  success. 
Thus  comes  the  desire  for  companions.  Where  a  child 
must  choose  a  partner,  this  social  relationship  is  found. 
Forming  of  the  ring  is  the  beginning  of  the  group  rela- 
tion. 

Here,  too,  the  lesson  of  self-control  is  learned.   The 
188 


GAMES 

child  must  wait  his  turn;  he  learns  to  follow,  not  always 
to  lead.  The  diffident  child  unconsciously  loses  his  sense 
of  embarrassment  and  the  too  aggressive  child  learns  the 
lesson  of  self-effacement. 

In  these  social  games  music  comes  into  use.  It  is 
natural  that  this  should  be,  for  music  appeals  to  the 
happy  emotions  as  well  as  to  the  sense  of  rhythm.  Refer- 
ences and  illustrations  are  found  in  Volume  V,  which  are 
of  value  in  many  ways.  These  are  Folk-Dances  and 
Games  with  music.  They  not  only  exercise  the  body 
accompanied  with  joyous  music,  but  they  stimulate  the 
mind.  The  element  of  concerted  action  is  introduced, 
which  means  working  together  in  unity.  It  is  necessary 
to  the  successful  accomplishment  of  the  dance  that  the 
movements  be  performed  by  all  in  the  same  way  at  the 
same  time. 

Drop  the  Handkerchief.  The  players  form  a  circle, 
with  the  exception  of  one  who  stands  outside  holding  a 
handkerchief.  He  starts  around  the  circle  saying,  "I 
have  a  little  pony  and  he  won't  carry  you,  and  he  won't 
carry  you"  (repeating  as  many  times  as  he  chooses), 
"  but  he  will  carry  you ! "  The  child  drops  it  at  the  heels 
of  the  child  he  wishes.  The  child,  behind  whom  the 
handkerchief  was  dropped,  picks  it  up  as  quickly  as 
possible  and  runs  after  the  first  child  trying  to  catch 
him  before  he  reaches  the  vacant  space  left  in  the  circle. 

Spin  the  Ring.  The  children  sit  in  a  circle  with  the 
exception  of  one  who  stands  in  the  center  and  spins  a 
wooden  towel  ring,  a  tray,  or  tin  cover.  As  he  spins  he 
calls  some  child's  name.  The  child  called  must  rise 
quickly  and  try  to  catch  up  the  ring  in  both  hands  be- 

189 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

fore  it  ceases  to  spin.  If  he  succeeds,  he  has  a  chance  to 
spin  the  ring;  if  not  he  must  return  to  the  circle. 

Beckoning  Game.  This  is  a  quiet  game,  but  demands 
close  attention  on  the  part  of  the  children.  A  child  in 
the  center  of  the  ring  beckons  with  her  forefinger  to  a 
little  friend  to  come  to  her.  When  they  meet  in  the  cen- 
ter they  bow  to  each  other.  The  new  child  remains  to 
beckon  to  another  child,  while  the  other  one  goes  back 
to  the  circle.  The  game  continues  until  each  one  has 
been  beckoned. 

Menagerie.  Choose  one  child  to  be  the  keeper.  Each 
of  the  others  chooses  the  name  of  an  animal  he  wishes  to 
be.  The  animals  form  a  circle  around  the  keeper  march- 
ing until  he  gives  the  order  to  halt.  He  calls  for  an  ani- 
mal to  come  into  the  cage,  such  as  the  dog.  The  dog 
barks,  and  then  walks  on  all  fours  to  the  keeper.  He 
calls  for  a  lamb;  the  lamb  baas,  and  comes  running  to 
him.  Thus  each  one  in  turn  comes  to  his  master,  and 
follows  him  to  the  next  room,  each  making  sounds  like 
the  animal  he  represents. 

Squirrel  Tag.  This  can  be  an  outdoor  game  letting  six 

children  represent  six  trees;  they  must  stand  still  where 

they  are  placed.   One  child  is  chosen  to  be  a  squirrel; 

another  child  is  to  chase  him.   He  says: 

"Run,  little  squirrel,  run,  run,  run; 
Oh,  what  fun,  oh,  what  fun!" 

Now  the  squirrel  must  run  in  and  out  of  the  six  trees 
with  the  child  running  after  him  while  the  trees  are 
counting  up  to  twenty.  A  new  chaser  is  chosen  if  the 
squirrel  is  not  caught  in  that  time.  The  one  who  catches 
him  becomes  the  squirrel. 

190 


GAMES 

Competition  can  be  stimulated  here  for  older  children 
by  choosing  sides,  letting  the  trees  and  squirrel  be  chosen 
from  one  side  and  the  one  to  run  after  the  squirrel  from 
the  other  side,  changing  positions  each  time  and  keeping 
score. 

COMPETITIVE  GAMES 

The  element  of  healthy  competition,  of  "give-and- 
take"  and  "for-and -against"  enters  into  many  games 
and  is  beneficial  to  the  child.  These  games,  when  rightly 
chosen  and  rightly  played,  prove  an  excellent  medium 
through  which  is  stimulated  in  the  child  a  desire  to  do 
his  best,  not  only  for  his  own  personal  satisfaction,  but 
for  the  good  of  all.  There  comes  the  desire  to  strive  for 
the  honor  of  his  side,  to  work  loyally,  honestly,  and 
learn  to  abhor  cheating.  He  learns  to  take  defeat 
cheerfully  and  glory  modestly.  The  social  spirit  and  all 
forms  of  activity  come  into  the  large  variety  of  games. 
Many  familiar  and  best-liked  games  are  handed  down 
from  generation  to  generation,  and  books  concerning 
them  have  been  published  with  long  lists  and  directions. 
Remember  the  little  child  must  be  given  easy  plays  at 
first,  however;  hence  the  games  of  this  chapter  are  sim- 
plified in  accordance  with  that  thought. 

Bean  Bag  Races.  I.  Choose  two  captains  who  in  turn 
choose  sides  having  the  two  sides  stand  opposite  each 
other.  At  the  word  "Go!"  the  captains  start  the  bags, 
six  or  more  in  number,  down  their  respective  lines  and 
the  last  in  line  keeps  them  in  a  chair  beside  him.  The 
object  is  to  see  which  side  passes  the  bags  the  quicker. 

II.  This  game  may  be  made  more  difficult  by  having 
191 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

the  end  man,  upon  receiving  all  the  bags,  start  them 
back  again.  This  time  the  question  will  be  which  cap- 
tain will  receive  them  all  first. 

III.  Place  two  waste-baskets  at  equal  distances  away 
from  two  children  who  stand  opposite  the  baskets. 
Place  four  bean  bags  at  equal  distances  apart  and  in  line 
with  each  basket.  Each  child  must  stand  two  feet  back 
of  the  last  bean  bag.  At  the  signal  '*Go!"  the  two  chil- 
dren run,  picking  up  one  bag  at  a  time,  placing  it  in  the 
basket,  and  going  back  for  the  next,  and  so  on  until  four 
are  picked  up ;  the  object  being  to  see  who  will  be  first  to 
get  all  the  bags  in. 

IV.  Have  the  children  stand  in  two  lines  in  marching 
formation,  lines  being  about  six  feet  apart.  At  the  feet 
of  each  leader  there  are  placed  three  bean  bags.  At  the 
word  '*Go!"  each  leader  stoops,  picks  up  a  bag,  and 
passes  it  over  his  shoulder  to  the  one  directly  back  of 
him,  who  in  turn  passes  it  over  his  shoulder,  and  so  on 
down  the  line.  The  last  one  drops  it  at  his  side  on  the 
floor.  As  soon  as  the  leader  has  passed  one  bag  on,  he 
immediately  stoops  for  another  until  the  three  bean 
bags  have  gone  down  the  line.  The  object  of  the  game  is 
to  see  which  line  can  pass  the  three  bags  in  the  quickest 
time.  This  game  can  be  made  more  difficult  by  passing 
the  bags  over  the  head  in  both  hands  to  the  one  behind. 

In  winter  splendid  games  for  outdoor  sports  would  be 
to  use  the  snowballs  in  the  different  ways  described  with 
the  bean  bags. 

Pussy  Cat  and  the  Little  Mice.  One  child  is  chosen  for 
the  cat  who  runs  off  out  of  sight.  The  rest  of  the  children 
are  the  little  mice  who  are  out  hunting  for  bread  crumbs 

192 


GAMES 

or  cheese.  They,  at  first,  creep  around  very  softly,  then, 
growing  bolder,  run  lightly  around.  Soon  they  discover 
some  crumbs  and  stop  to  nibble  them.  Suddenly  the  cat 
appears  and  the  little  mice  scamper  away,  the  cat  trying 
to  catch  one.  The  mouse  who  is  caught  becomes  in  turn 
the  big  gray  cat,  but  if  no  mouse  is  caught  the  cat  must 
try  again. 

Wolf  and  Sheep.  One  child,  the  wolf,  stands  outside 
a  circle  formed  by  the  children  who  clasp  hands.  The 
sheep  is  another  child  inside  the  circle.  At  the  cry  of 
**Wolf !  Wolf!"  the  wolf  tries  to  get  inside  the  circle  and 
chase  the  sheep.  The  children  assist  the  sheep  to  run  in 
and  out  of  the  circle  under  their  hands,  but  try  to  pre- 
vent the  wolf  from  getting  in  by  lowering  their  arms  and 
keeping  hands  tightly  clasped  when  he  comes  near.  If 
the  sheep  is  caught,  he  must  join  the  circle  and  the  wolf 
becomes  the  sheep  while  a  new  wolf  is  chosen. 

Farmer  and  the  Wolf.  Choose  one  child  to  be  a  farmer 
and  one  to  be  the  wolf.  The  children  join  hands  in  a 
circle  leaving  the  farmer  outside  and  the  wolf  inside. 
The  farmer  calls,  '*Who  is  in  my  field?"  The  wolf  re- 
plies, "Wolf,  wolf,"  and  starts  to  run,  the  farmer  after 
him.  The  wolf  leads  the  farmer  in  and  out  under  the 
children's  arms.  The  farmer  must  imitate  everything 
the  wolf  does,  such  as  running,  hopping,  jumping  over 
children's  hands,  and  crawling  under  on  all  fours.  If  the 
wolf  is  caught  he  joins  the  circle,  the  farmer  becomes  the 
wolf,  and  a  new  farmer  is  chosen.  To  keep  the  game  in- 
teresting it  is  well  to  set  a  time  limit. 

Hide-and-Seek.  One  child  is  chosen  to  shut  his  eyes  at 
the  goal  while  all  the  other  players  run  quickly  away 

193 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

and  hide.  When  the  one  hiding  his  eyes  counts  to  one 
hundred,  he  starts  to  hunt  for  the  others.  The  first  one 
found  becomes  "it"  the  next  time.  Sometimes  the  last 
one  caught  has  to  be  "it." 

The  important  question  is  how  to  decide  who  shall  be 
"it,"  and  for  generations  back  nonsense  rhymes  have 
been  said  to  a  row  of  children  by  a  leader.  This  leadef 
points  to  each  child  as  he  repeats  the  words,  the  one  to 
whom  the  last  word  comes  is  "it."  All  ages  of  children 
join  in  these  games,  so  very  early  a  little  tot  of  four 
years  is  imitating  his  older  playmates  in  saying  these 
rhymes.  The  following  verses  were  heard  recently  in  a 
group  of  young  children : 

I 

"  Ibity-bibity-sibity-sab, 
Ibity-bibity-canabo, 
Canabo  in,  canabo  out, 
Canabo  over  the  ibity-bibity  spout. 
Out  goes  y-o-u." 

The  children  hold  their  fists  out.  The  leader  with  his 
fist  hits  their  fists  in  turn  as  he  repeats  the  verse.  The 
fist  hit  at  the  end  of  the  verse  goes  behind  the  child's 
back.  The  verse  is  repeated  many  times  until  one  fist 
remains.  The  owner  of  that  fist  is  "it»" 

II 

"  Inti-minti-tibiti-fig, 
Delia-dolia-dolma-nig, 
Ychi-pychi-dolma-nychi, 
Hong-Pong-tusk, 
Alca-balca-boo. 
Out  goes  y-o-u." 

The  leader  points  with  finger  to  each  child. 
194 


GAMES 

ni 

"Nigger-nigger  come  to  dinner. 

Half-past  two. 
Alligator,  sweet  potato, 

Woo-woo-woo. 
Out  goes  y-o-u." 

The  leader  points  with  finger  to  each  child. 

IV 

"Engine,  engine  number  nine. 
Running  on  Chicago  line 
How  she  sparkles,  how  she  shines! 
Engine,  engine  number  nine. 
Out  goes  y-o-u." 

The  leader  points  with  finger  to  each  child. 

V 

"Eeni-meeni-myni-mo; 
Catch  the  traitor  by  the  toe. 
If  he  hollers  let  him  say, 
I  surrender,  U.  S.  A. 
Out  goes  y-o-u." 

Statue  Game.  Any  number  of  children  run  about  here 
and  there  until  a  leader  counts  ten.  At  this  point  all 
stand  still  in  the  position  they  are,  remaining  in  that 
position  until  the  leader  comes  and  taps  them. 

This  can  be  done  to  music  also.  Let  the  children  skip 
in  time  to  the  music,  and  when  it  stops  they  must  stop 
in  their  positions.  This  takes  concentration  to  keep 
still,  but  is  good  practice  for  the  children.  Another 
game  requiring  the  same  power  is  called  — 

Come,  Bossy.  One  child  in  the  center  of  the  circle  is 
chosen  to  be  the  little  calf.  The  children  hold  out  their 

105 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

hands  pretending  to  feed  him  salt.  The  calf  goes  up  to 
one  child.  The  child  must  say  to  the  calf  three  times 
without  smiling,  "Nice  Bossy,  nice  Bossy,  nice  Bossy." 
If  he  smiles,  he  then  must  become  the  Bossy  and  goes 
up  to  some  one  else  to  catch  him  smiling.  If  he  does  n't 
smile,  then  the  calf  must  pass  on  to  another  and  another 
until  some  one  smiles. 

Stars  on  the  Floor.  Similar  to  the  familiar  game  of 
Going  to  Jerusalem  is  the  Stars  on  the  Floor.  Crosses 
can  be  made  on  a  sidewalk  or  playground,  or  on  hard 
sand  at  the  beach.  If  played  in  the  house  the  piano  is 
used;  if  out  of  doors  clapping  can  be  done.  Make  as 
many  crosses  as  there  are  children  less  one.  The  chil- 
dren form  in  line  marching  around  and  over  the  crosses. 
When  the  signal  is  given  by  stopping  of  music,  all  try  to 
stand  on  a  cross.  One  child  will  be  left  out,  who  must 
sit  down.  A  cross  is  erased  and  the  music  begins  again. 
Repeat  erasing  of  crosses  until  one  cross  and  two  chil- 
dren are  left,  and  finally  the  excitement  ends  when  the 
music  stops  and  one  child  is  victorious  on  the  one  cross. 

The  House  the  Snail  built.  Children  take  hold  of  hands 
and  follow  the  leader  in  line  who  winds  round  and  round 
inside  the  circle,  the  circle  growing  smaller  and  smaller 
until  the  leader  reaches  a  center.  He  has  found  the 
snail's  secret  house,  then  turns  around  and  goes  out  of 
the  house  unwinding.  This  is  done  with  loud  marching 
music,  or,  if  softly  played,  the  children  may  go  on  tip- 
toes. 

Shower  of  Goodies.  Have  a  bag  of  nuts  and  candy 
high  up  in  the  center  of  the  room  out  of  arm's  reach. 
Give  each  child  a  small  basket  or  bag.  Blindfold  some 

196 


GAMES 

one;  put  a  stick  or  wand  in  his  hand,  turn  him  about 
three  times,  and  then  let  him  try  to  hit  the  bag.  If  he 
fails,  try  each  child  in  turn,  the  other  children  standing 
a  distance  away.  Some  lucky  one  will  break  the  bag, 
and  then  there  will  be  a  shower  of  goodies.  Now  every 
one  will  busy  himself  picking  up  his  share  and  filHng 
his  basket.   This  is  fun  especially  at  a  children's  party. 

St.  Valentine's  Candle.  Light  a  candle  and  place  on  a 
table.  Each  child  in  turn  is  blindfolded  and  stands  ten 
feet  away  from  the  candle.  Turn  him  about  three 
times,  then  ask  him  to  take  ten  steps  toward  the  candle, 
and  allow  him  three  attempts  to  blow  the  candle  out. 
Those  who  are  successful  will  be  fortunate  through  the 
coming  year.  Unfortunately,  many  find  themselves 
blowing  into  space  when  their  eyes  are  opened. 

Family  Game.  From  the  ring  a  child  is  chosen  leader. 
He  then  chooses  some  one  to  be  father,  another  mother, 
a  brother,  a  sister,  and  the  baby.  These  stand  in  a  row 
in  the  center  and  each  in  turn  acts  out  his  daily  occu- 
pation. The  children  in  the  circle  imitate  the  different 
movements  as  they  are  given  by  those  in  the  center. 

Father  —  saws  wood,  walks  downtown  to  oiEce  or 
drives  automobile. 

Mother  —  beats  eggs,  kneads  bread,  sews. 

Brother  —  plays  ball,  marbles,  or  whistles. 

Sister  —  plays  piano,  reads  a  book. 

Baby  —  says  "goo,"  cries,  or  claps  hands. 

Now  the  family  join  hands  and  skip  around  happily 
united.  After  this  they  take  their  places  in  the  circle 
and  a  new  family  is  chosen. 

Bird  Game.  This  is  a  good  game  and  play  when  one 
197 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

is  calling  attention  to  family  life,  noticing  how  the  birds 
build  their  nests  and  talking  to  the  children  of  the  many 
families  in  the  world  beside  our  own  human  family. 

A  circle  is  formed  from  which  several  children  are 
chosen  to  make  a  nest.  This  is  made  by  placing  arms 
on  each  other^s  shoulders,  the  children  sitting  or  stand- 
ing in  the  center  forming  a  small  circle  or  nest.  A 
father  and  mother  bird  are  chosen  who  fly  around 
pretending  to  pick  up  sticks,  wisps  of  hay,  string,  etc., 
and  bringing  to  the  nest  to  build  it  completely.  Two 
very  small  children  are  chosen  to  be  little  blue  eggs. 
They  go  into  the  nest  and  curl  up  with  heads  down. 
Pretty  soon  the  mother  bird  flies  into  the  nest  and  plays 
keeping  them  warm  while  the  father  bird  flies  away 
for  food  returning  to  feed  the  mother  bird.  In  a  few 
minutes  the  two  little  children  raise  their  heads,  coming 
from  their  blue  shell,  and  say,  "Peep,  peep,  peep." 
The  children  in  the  big  circle  come  softly  on  tip-toe  to 
peek  over  into  the  nest  and  hear  them  say,  "Peep." 
After  the  children  have  returned  to  their  places  the 
mother  and  father  bird  fly  around  getting  food  for  their 
little  ones. 

Then  the  mother  bird  says, 

"Now,  little  birds,  't  is  time  to  fly. 
Come,  spread  your  wings  and  try,  try,  try." 

The  father  bird  joins  in  the  flying  lesson,  and  though 
they  have  to  try  and  try  again,  the  little  birds  finally 
fly  round  and  round  with  their  parents.  It  is  suggested 
that  all  the  children  at  this  time  play  they  are  little 
birds,  and  fly  around  too  until  the  music  stops,  which 
can  be  softly  played  at  the  last  of  the  play. 


XIV 
MAKE-BELIEVE 

DRAMATIC  representation  was  used  as  a  means 
of  instruction  as  far  back  as  the  history  of  culture 
extends.  The  Pagan  Priests  and  Christian  Fathers 
made  it  serve  for  their  special  ends.  Through  dramatic 
appeal  each  taught  his  own  peculiar  cult  or  religion.  In 
the  very  early  times,  experiences  in  the  life  of  the  race 
were  acted  out  by  the  bards  as  they  sang  of  the  deeds  of 
great  men  of  the  tribe. 

Primitive  man  and  children  are  alike  inasmuch  as 
they  both  are  essentially  dramatic.  The  essence  of 
children's  play  is  the  acting  of  a  part  and  the  realizing 
of  a  new  situation.  The  dramatic  impulse  in  children  is 
their  desire  to  understand  the  world  about  them.  They 
learn  by  doing  and  have  an  unconscious  sympathy  with 
all  life.  They  are  attracted  especially  by  things  that 
move  and  they  imitate  from  the  very  beginning.  First 
they  imitate  movements  and  sounds  made  by  those 
about  them.  Later  comes  imitative  play  with  toys.  The 
child's  impulse  is  to  make-believe  to  be  some  one,  a 
sailor,  a  soldier,  or  a  policeman,  until  he  forgets  his  real 
surroundings  and  his  actual  self.  He  acts  out  experi- 
ences, such  as  sowing  seed,  picking  apples,  washing 
clothes,  driving  nails,  through  which  he  gains  first- 
hand knowledge.  He  is  not  always  particular  about 
accuracy  of  detail  in  these  dramatic  projects.   A  mere 

199 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

suggestion,  and  the  imagination  has  supplied  a  wealth 
of  detail.  The  instincts  are  often  factors  in  determining 
the  choice  of  subjects;  for  example,  the  pugilistic  in- 
stinct prompts  soldier  plays,  lion  hunts;  the  nurture 
instinct  suggests  playing  house,  doctor,  or  gardener; 
the  social  and  constructive  instincts  develop  creative 
and  group  plays. 

Day-dreams  and  the  mutterings  of  mystic  words  to 
himself  all  illustrate  this  desire  to  realize  a  part.  In  the 
working-out  of  this  impulse,  external  surroundings  take 
a  small  part.  Sometimes  there  is  hardly  a  change  of 
scene,  for  a  child  plays  out  his  action  with  purely 
imaginary  surroundings.  The  pleasure  of  children  in 
what  we  call  dramatic  make-believe  is  wholly  inde- 
pendent of  any  appreciating  eye.  They  love  to  act 
their  play  scenes  in  some  remote  spot,  dark  corners,  or 
even  in  behind  curtains. 

The  great  value  of  these  dramatic  plays  lies  in  the 
spontaneity  of  expression.  Imaginative  children  are 
full  of  the  joy  of  creation,  of  animation.  In  the  story 
of  "Sara  Crewe"  we  find  a  little  girl  who  found  joy  even 
in  the  midst  of  great  hardships  by  making  herself  a 
princess  and  her  doll  a  sympathetic  friend.  Sometimes 
this  natural  outlet  to  the  dramatic  instinct  has  to  be 
guided,  as  in  the  play  of  those  unfortunate  street  ur- 
chins, whose  environment  presents  nothing  refining  to 
imitate,  and  hence  they  act  out  sordid  happenings 
that  lower  their  outlook  on  life.  The  children's  envi- 
ronment, therefore,  should  be  enriched  and  their  hori- 
zon broadened  to  include  the  finer  things  of  life,  that 
they  may  have  fit  subjects  for  imitation  in  play. 

200 


MAKE-BELIEVE 

When  considering  dramatization  for  the  young  child 
perhaps  we  think  first  of  Mother  Goose.  Many  of  these 
rhymes  are  excellent  to  use  because  they  are  familiar, 
simple,  and  full  of  action,  and  they  can  be  performed 
without  the  aid  of  any  properties  or  costumes.  For 
example : 

I 
"Little  Miss  Muffet  sat  on  a  tuffet," 
Eating  some  curds  and  Vthey, 
When  along  came  a  spider 
And  sat  down  beside  her, 
And  frightened  Miss  Muffet  away." 

A  little  girl  sits  down  on  a  low  stool  making-believe 
to  eat  with  a  spoon  from  an  empty  bowl.  Another  child 
comes  in  creeping  on  his  hands  and  feet,  and  when  he 
comes  close  the  little  girl  screams,  drops  her  bowl,  and 
runs  away.  One  person  in  the  audience  may  repeat  the 
lines  while  it  is  acted  or  a  group  may  say  it  if  desired. 

II 

"Mistress  Mary,  quite  contrary. 
How  does  your  garden  grow? 
With  silver  bells  and  cockle  shells 
And  pretty  maids  all  in  a  row." 

A  row  of  six  little  girls  may  be  squatting  on  the 
floor  with  heads  bent  downward.  Mistress  Mary,  with 
empty  watering-pot,  comes  along  making-believe  to 
water  her  flowers  and  saying  the  rhyme.  As  she  waters 
them,  each  in  turn  slowly  lifts  her  head  and  gradually 
rises  to  her  feet.  At  the  end  there  will  be  *' pretty 
maids  all  in  a  row." 

201 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

III 

"Jack  be  nimble,  Jack  be  quick, 
Jack  jump  over  the  candlestick." 

Any  little  boy  would  delight  in  a  good  excuse  for 
jumping.  Thus  a  small  brass  candlestick  may  be  placed 
on  the  floor,  on  the  grass,  or  ground,  and  the  rhyme  will 
be  acted  out  many  times.  The  good,  both  physically 
and  mentally,  coming  from  all  these  actions  is  obvious. 

After  Mother  Goose  the  children  enter  upon  the 
fairy-tale  period.  And  now  we  must  begin  to  think 
about  the  properties  and  costumes,  but  let  us  remem- 
ber it  is  better  to  use  home-made  costumes  and  scenery 
than  to  buy  elaborate  finery  and  stage  settings.  Chil- 
dren enjoy  making  their  own  costumes  if  materials 
which  they  can  use  are  available.  For  instance,  make 
costumes  of  cretonne  in  place  of  brocade,  cheesecloth 
for  fairy  costumes,  and  crepe  paper  with  its  variety  of 
colors  and  designs.  Trimmings  may  be  used  of  artifi- 
cial flowers,  fruits,  gold  and  silver  paper,  and  Christmas 
decorations.  Fairy  wings  may  be  made  of  light-weight 
cardboard,  of  heavy  wrapping  paper,  or  white  lining 
canvas. 

Suggestions  for  simple  stage  properties  are  torches 
cut  from  gilt  cardboard  with  streamers  of  flame-colored 
tissue;  a  silver  goblet  can  be  made  by  covering  a  glass 
goblet  with  silver  paper  foil;  round  collar  boxes  serve 
for  bowls;  tissue  paper,  which  is  used  for  packing  glass, 
makes  excellent  snow. 

The  holidays  make  good  subjects  for  dramatization. 
After  building  a  toy  village  of  Pilgrim  days,  the  next 
impulse  will  be  to  act  out  '*The  First  Thanksgiving 

202 


MAKE-BELIEVE 

Day."  A  group  of  children  will  choose  their  parts. 
Some  one  will  want  to  be  Massasoit,  the  Indian  Chief, 
and  he  will  have  a  few  of  his  band  with  him.  Others 
will  characterize  well-known  Pilgrims,  both  men  and 
women.  There  will  be  the  long  dinner-table  around 
which  they  gathered,  piled  high  with  good  things  to 
eat.  This  will  be  a  good  time  to  introduce  a  real  lunch 
which  will  appeal  to  the  actors.  As  we  learn  from  pic- 
tures and  history  that  this  feast  was  given  out  of  doors, 
the  children  can  enjoy  imitating  under  the  trees  of  the 
yard  or  in  a  shady  nook  of  a  park.  The  friendly  greet- 
ings, exchange  of  gifts,  and  final  formal  departure  of 
the  Indians  will  impress  the  little  folks  by  the  difference 
of  the  first  days  of  America  and  the  present  time. 

The  celebration  to-day  is  the  gathering  together  of 
families  and  relatives  at  Thanksgiving  time.  These, 
too,  are  the  first  people  with  whom  a  child  becomes 
acquainted,  therefore  it  is  natural  that  he  should  imi- 
tate them  in  play.  With  brothers  and  sisters  and  per- 
haps a  friend,  the  festive  play  begins  with  some  one 
making-believe  to  be  grandma,  another  grandpa,  an 
aunt  or  an  uncle.  Now  comes  the  fun  of  dressing  up  in 
Mother's  and  Father's  clothes.  If  possible  have  an  old 
trunk  in  the  attic  or  a  box  in  the  closet  in  which  can  be 
kept  cast-off  garments  set  aside  for  just  this  purpose. 
When  Mother  is  presumably  busy  about  her  work,  she 
will  be  well  entertained  with  familiar  phrases  and  ac- 
tions of  her  own  which  are  used  in  the  play  going  on 
about  her.  Other  members  of  the  family  will  be  imi- 
tated, too,  and  a  happy  reunion  of  several  months  past 
will  be  taking  place  again  in  imitative  form. 

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CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

The  Christmas  season  has  many  forms  which  could 
be  developed.  The  impersonation  of  Santa  Claus  is 
dear  to  the  hearts  of  the  children.  The  chimney-place 
with  its  mysteries,  and  the  Christmas-tree  only  need 
to  be  mentioned  to  a  child  and  his  imagination  sees 
possibilities  of  acting  out  the  sentiments  of  the  subject 
at  hand.  Stories  of  holidays  and  festivals  found  in  vol- 
ume I  of  this  series  will  suggest  material  for  the  little 
folks  to  work  upon.  Pick  out  the  essential  points  on 
which  action  hinges  to  be  the  parts  of  the  story  used  in 
dramatizing.  Minor  details  are  confusing,  and  so  the 
points  to  be  gained  or  moral  impressed  will  be  lost,  if 
these  are  made  prominent. 

Incidents  in  the  lives  of  great  men  have  become 
popular  stories  to  the  children  and  can  be  simply  acted 
out.  In  George  Washington's  life  was  the  story  of 
"The  Making  of  the  First  Flag,"  and  from  Abraham 
Lincoln's  life  one  should  read  "Abraham  Lincoln  and 
the  Little  Bird"  and  "Abraham  and  the  Little  Girl." 
Once  these  incidents  become  real  to  a  child's  mind,  he 
will  be  able  to  reproduce  them  in  action  and  simple 
words  for  you.  If  the  child  dramatizes  the  stories  which 
he  hears,  not  only  do  they  make  a  deeper  impression 
than  they  would  otherwise,  but  the  child's  interest  is 
stimulated  to  know  more  about  the  characters  and 
places  of  the  story. 

This  fact  is  especially  true  in  working  out  stories 
centered  in  foreign  lands.  The  manners  and  customs  of 
other  children  amuse  and  interest  our  own.  It  is  such 
fun  to  dress  up  in  a  Chinese  costume,  hold  a  fan  before 
your  eyes,  and  run  around  serving  tea,  taking  queer 

204 


MAKE-BELIEVE 

little  running  steps.  The  Dutch  girls  and  boys  plod 
along  with  big  clumsy  wooden  shoes,  while  the  children 
of  the  Hawaiian  Islands  wear  none.  Their  dresses  are 
just  short  skirts  made  of  long  grasses,  and  they  gather 
pretty  white  shells  which  they  string  and  wear  around 
their  necks. 

FRIENDS  ACROSS  THE  SEA 

Betty  and  Peggy  had  been  sailing  many  days  on  the 
ocean  in  a  great,  big  steamer.  Land  was  finally  seen 
in  the  distance,  and  gradually  it  seemed  nearer  and 
nearer  until  the  boat  finally  drew  up  to  a  wharf.  It 
had  stopped  at  a  seaport  of  one  of  the  Hawaiian  Islands. 
On  going  ashore  the  little  girls  and  their  parents  were 
driven  several  miles  out  of  town  to  a  farm  or  a  planta- 
tion as  it  is  called  there.  While  Father  was  talking  busi- 
ness the  children  wandered  across  the  fields  where  they 
chanced  upon  some  funny  houses.  They  were  small  huts, 
which  were  made  of  bamboo  sticks.  The  roofs  were 
thatched  with  grasses  and  great  palm-trees  were  waving 
overhead. 

Running  out  from  one  of  these  shanties  came  two 
little  dark-skinned  girls  wearing  funny  short  skirts 
made  of  grass,  no  shoes  or  stockings  and  no  waists, 
but  around  their  necks  hung  pretty  strings  of  shells. 
They  seemed  almost  afraid  when  Betty  and  Peggy  ap- 
peared, for  they  rarely  saw  white  children  from  the 
city  and  never  before  from  the  United  States. 

The  children  did  not  understand  each  other's  lan- 
guage when  they  talked,  but  with  many  gestures  they 
soon  understood  that  Betty  and  Peggy  wanted  to  play 

205 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

with  them.  Betty  superintended  the  instruction  of  a 
game  which  the  little  native  children  soon  understood, 
laughing  heartily  and  begging  to  play  more.  Several 
games  were  played  followed  by  singing  songs  American 
fashion.  The  little  natives  clapped  their  hands  with 
glee  and  tried  to  imitate  them  too. 

By  this  time  the  strangeness  had  entirely  disappeared; 
the  Hawaiians  came  closer  to  touch  the  pretty  dresses 
Betty  and  Peggy  wore.  Through  signs  and  motions 
they  expressed  the  wish  that  they  could  try  them  on,  so 
Peggy  ran  back  a  little  way  where  she  had  left  her 
dress-suit  case  and  brought  it  for  inspection.  Every- 
thing in  the  case  had  to  be  examined,  and  many  were 
the  squeals  of  delight  as  they  looked  at  the  dresses, 
shoes,  stockings.  Betty  and  Peggy  chose  two  dresses 
that  they  could  easily  spare  and  gave  them  to  the  ex- 
cited children.  Red  and  blue  ribbons  were  also  found 
and  tied  on  the  little  black  heads. 

Time  had  flown  fast,  and  the  father's  call  told  the 
sisters  they  must  say  good-bye.  With  many  adieus  by 
gestures  and  jabbering  of  two  languages  the  city  chil- 
dren bade  farewell  promising  to  send  gifts  back  to  the 
little  Hawaiians  from  America.  Betty  and  Peggy  were 
convinced  that  this  was  the  most  wonderful  part  of  their 
trip,  for  they  had  not  only  made  new  friends,  but  they 
had  found  real  happiness  in  showing  these  far-away 
children  worth-while  things  to  do  which  they  had  never 
known  before. 

This  story  is  easily  staged  in  the  playroom;  two 
chairs  representing  the  hut.    Out  of  doors  the  bushes 

206 


MAKE-BELIEVE 

would  be  splendid.  Four  little  girls  can  take  the  parts, 
two  being  dressed  in  brown  bloomer  suits  with  low 
necks,  and  bare  feet.  The  other  two  would  be  dressed 
in  any  traveling  dress,  coat,  and  hat.  A  little  distance 
away  they  leave  the  dress-suit  case,  to  return  for  it  later. 
There  is  great  opportunity  for  acting  trying  to  make 
each  other  understand.  The  teaching  of  the  games  and 
songs  give  a  chance  for  choice  and  practice  in  instruc- 
tion. Games  may  be  chosen  from  this  volume  and 
songs  from  '* Songs  with  Music,"  Volume  V  of  this  series. 
A  boy,  somewhere  in  the  background  not  seen,  can  be 
the  father  and  call  in  loud  tones  for  the  two  sisters, 
Betty  and  Peggy,  to  return  to  him.  The  original  con- 
versation, to  represent  the  meeting,  playing,  and  final 
adieus,  gives  the  children  free  opportunity  to  use  their 
imaginations  in  such  a  circumstance. 

In  the  story  of  "Rosebud"  comes  the  study  of 
nature,  as  well  as  impressing  a  moral  truth.  A  little 
child  was  chosen  to  be  a  rosebud.  She  hid  under  the 
table  which  she  made-believe  was  the  brown  earth.  She 
was  sleeping  there,  waiting  to  grow,  and  along  came  a 
raindrop,  which  could  be  represented  by  a  little  boy. 
He  knocked  on  the  table  and  said,  "May  I  come  in, 
little  rosebud.^"  "No,  you  can't,"  answered  the  rose- 
bud. "I  am  too  snug  and  comfortable  to  move."  Then 
came  along  Mr.  Sun,  another  little  boy.  "May  I  come 
in,  little  rosebud?"  said  he.  "No,  no,"  said  she.  "I  do 
not  want  to  wake  up  and  grow."  Finally,  after  a  little 
time,  along  came  both  raindrop  and  sun  again,  and  the 
little  rosebud,  tired  of  her  dark  home,  decided  it  would 
be  best  to  grow.    So  the  sun  and  the  raindrop  acted 

207 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

their  part  and  helped  her  to  grow,  and  she  became  a 
beautiful  pink  rose. 

This  play  can  be  made  most  attractive  by  costumes 
of  crepe  paper.  The  rosebud  could  have  a  hat  of  pink 
petals,  the  raindrop  simply  dressed  in  gray,  and  the 
sun  in  yellow.  It  is  best  to  keep  the  play  simple,  for  it 
amuses  the  children  just  as  well  and  gives  a  chance  for 
the  imagination  to  work.  Let  the  children  suggest  and 
plan.  In  this  way  it  becomes  vital  and  not  a  trivial 
performance. 

Dramatization  can  be  used  as  a  means  of  interesting 
the  child  in  the  life  about  him.  The  wise  mother  or 
teacher  will  suggest  only  enough  to  enable  the  child  to 
express  his  own  ideas  and  see  what  is  best  in  his  en- 
vironment. A  child,  once  asked  to  play  policeman, 
answered,  '*Yes,  that  will  be  a  good  play  because  the 
policeman  is  a  helper  to  every  one."  Rows  of  chairs 
were  used  to  form  the  streets.  Little  friends  playing 
with  him  took  their  parts,  some  becoming  automobiles 
rushing  along,  while  others  were  people  trying  to  cross 
the  street.  Through  the  signs  of  the  policeman  the 
traffic  and  people  passed  and  repassed  as  is  done  at  the 
busy  street  corners  of  large  cities. 

A  dialogue  between  the  Baker's  Boy,  who  is  dressed 
in  spotless  white,  and  a  Chimney  Sweep,  whose  clothes 
are  smeared  with  black,  leaves  an  unwritten  moral  for 
the  children  who  repeat  the  verses  and  the  young  au- 
dience who  listen. 

Baker  s  Boy: 

"Go,  go,  you  little  black  boy. 
Don't  touch  my  snow-white  coat." 
208 


MAKE-BELIEVE 

Chimney  Sweep: 

"  Don't  send  me  ofif  with  such  an  air. 

Your  chimney  smokes  if  I'm  not  there. 
And  when  your  oven  bakes  too  slow 
Your  bread  will  not  be  good,  you  know.'* 

Baker  s  Boy: 

**If  that  is  so,  it  harms  you,  too. 
For  there  will  be  no  bread  for  you." 

Chimney  Sweep: 

"Why,  you  are  right,  so  let  us  go 
And  work  together,  even  so; 
I  '11  sweep  the  chimney,  your  bread  you  '11  knead. 
Black,  white,  united  friends  in  spirit  and  deeds.'* 

The  word  *' charade"  to  a  small  child  would  mean 
nothing,  but  if  you  asked  him  to  be  a  bird  he  would 
immediately  do  things  he  has  seen  a  bird  do,  such 
as  fly,  hop,  or  pick  up  imaginary  crumbs  from  the 
floor.  Thus  he  is  acting  out  or  representing  the  word 
"bird."  Among  the  animals  there  are  many  which  he 
can  easily  imitate  enough  to  recall  the  correct  name. 
In  turn  he  can  act  out  something  and  ask  you  to  guess 
what  he  is  representing.  This  passes  into  the  realm  of 
games,  but  there  is  a  close  relation  between  dramatiz- 
ing and  playing  a  game. 

When  the  representatives  become  acting  without 
dialogue  or  spoken  words  it  is  called  "pantomime." 
This  is  another  form  of  playing  in  the  make-believe 
world,  and  makes  a  change  and  quiet  activity  from  the 
dramatic  form.  Many  lovely  expressions  of  activity 
come  from  pantomime,  such  as  portraying  the  seasons 
in  costume  and  dance.  Children  are  happy  hopping 
and  skipping,  especially  if  dressed  in  a  fancy  costume 

209 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

as  simple  as  an  extra  sash  or  cap.  These  seem  to  inspire 
dancing  and  acting. 

For  a  child's  party  it  would  be  interesting  to  have 
twelve  chosen  to  represent  the  months  of  the  year. 
The  rest  of  the  little  people  are  to  guess,  as  each  comes 
in  one  by  one,  which  month  they  represent.  Suggestions 
which  can  be  used  on  short  notice  are  here  given. 

January : 

Toboggan  cap,  muffler,  skates.    Anything  which 
represents  the  cold. 
February: 

Pin  a  large  red  heart  on  the  front  of  the  dress. 
March: 

Child  runs  in  blowing  around.    Use  old-fashioned 
bellows  if  you  have  one. 
A'pril: 

Child  rubbing  eyes  and  crying  to  suggest  the  show- 
ers of  this  month. 
May: 

Carry  in  hand  a  short  pole  from  which  float  many 
pretty  streamers. 
June: 

A  bunch  or  basket  of  real  or  imitation  roses. 
July: 

Boy  snapping  off  play  pistol. 

August: 

Child  fanning  and  making-believe  to  be  very  hot. 

September: 

Carry  bunch  of  grapes,  real  or  imitation. 
210 


MA.KE-BELIEVE 

October: 

Make  pretty  autumn  leaves  with  paper  and  crayons. 
Pin  them  all  over  the  child's  dress. 
I^ovember: 

Basket  of  fruits  and  vegetables. 
December: 

Illustrate  Christmas  tree  or  Santa  Claus  in  some 
fashion. 

When  all  the  months  have  entered  the  room,  they 
join  hands  making  a  circle  dancing  and  singing: 

"Twelve  months  we  are,  you  see  us  here. 
We  make  the  circle  of  the  year. 
We  dance  and  sing  and,  children,  hear. 
We  wish  you  all  a  glad  New  Year." 

Aside  from  Mother  Goose,  fairy  stories,  fables,  and 
stories  of  real  life,  we  must  not  forget  the  wonderful 
narratives  of  the  Bible.  A  more  charming  Sunday  after- 
noon employment  could  not  be  suggested  than  drama- 
tizing the  historical  and  moral  truths  as  told  in  the 
Book  of  Books.  The  story  of  Joseph,  of  little  Samuel, 
and  the  Baby  Moses  awaken  a  keen  interest,  give 
reality  to  these  heroes,  and  make  a  lasting  impression. 
In  the  story  of  the  Good  Samaritan  the  properties 
needed  to  illustrate  would  be  a  purse  for  a  ''Certain 
Man,"  a  book  for  the  Priest,  a  bottle  of  oil,  a  cup  of 
cold  water,  a  strip  of  muslin,  and  a  handkerchief  for  the 
Samaritan,  and  a  scroll  for  the  Innkeeper.  Chairs  can 
represent  the  hiding-place  of  the  robbers.  This  story 
and  other  Bible  stories  are  delightfully  written  in  play 

211 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

form  for  acting  in  the  book  "The  Good  Samaritan  and 
Other  Bible  Stories  Dramatized,"  by  Edna  Earle  Cole. 
Dramatization  should  be  greatly  valued,  for  it  de- 
velops cooperation,  initiative,  self-confidence,  use  of  the 
language,  and  is  a  great  aid  to  memory.  Let  us  cherish 
this  dramatic  impulse  and  make  the  best  possible  use 
of  it.  It  is  closely  akin  to  sympathy,  enthusiasm,  and 
creation,  and  merits  our  best  attention  and  effort. 

THE  FOLK-LORE  TALE  OF  HENNY  PENNY 

Charaxiters 

Hennt  Penny  —  Girl,  wearing  buff -colored  cape  of  cambric 

or  crepe  paper.  Cap  of  same  color  with  a  touch  of  red  paper 

at  top  to  represent  her  comb. 
Cocky  Locky  —  Boy  wearing  gray  cape  speckled  with  black. 

Gray  cap  and  large  piece  of  red  paper  for  a  larger  comb. 
Chicken  Licken  —  Very  small  girl  with  yellow  cape. 
Ducky  Daddles  —  Girl  in  white  cape  and  cap. 
Goosey  Loosey  —  Girl  a  little  larger  than  the  duck  wearing 

white  cape  and  cap. 
Turkey  Lurkey  —  Boy  wearing  dark  brown  cape  and  red  cap. 
King  —  Boy  with  long  purple  cape  and  crown  made  of  gilt 

paper. 
Page  —  Boy  who  waits  on  the  King.     He  wears  a  dark  suit 

of  clothes  with  white  collar  and  cuffs  turned  back. 

Scene  1.  Barnyard.  Part  of  a  room  in  front  of  portieres. 
Screens  placed  at  the  hack  and  floor  cleared  of  furniture. 
Corn-stalks  here  and  there  and  a  large  clump  tied  together 
at  one  side.  At  the  hack  can  he  seen  a  chair  covered  with 
large  pieces  of  crumpled  brown  paper  to  give  the  appearance 
of  a  cornstack.  Shovel,  rake,  and  hoe  can  he  in  evidence  to 
give  another  realistic  touch  to  the  farmyard. 

The  hen  comes  strolling  in  from  one  side  of  the  stage  and 

makes-believe  she  is  hunting  for  worms  or  seed.   She  walks 

around  saying  once  in  a  while  to  herself,  "Cluck-Cluck.'* 

Finally  she  comes  near  the  stack  of  corn.   Some  one  from 

212 


MAKE-BELIEVE 

behind  drops  over  a  kernel  of  corn  uhich  hits  her  on  the 
head.  She  looks  up  very  much  startled. 

Henny  Penny.  Cut-cut-cut!  I  must  tell  the  King 
about  that! 

(She  turns  around  and  finds  a  rooster  coming 
her  way.) 
Cocky  Locky  (crowing) .  Cock-a-doodle-doo !  Where 
are  you  going,  Henny  Penny? 

Henny  Penny  (running  excitedly  to  him).  Cut-cut- 
cut-ca-dah-cut !  O  Cocky  Locky !  the  sky  is  falling,  and 
I  am  going  to  tell  the  King. 

Cocky  Locky  (straightening  up  his  shoulders).  Cock- 
a-doodle-doo,  I  will  go  with  you,  Henny  Penny. 

(They  are  interrupted  by  a  tiny  chicken  who 
comes  running  in  saying  in  a  high-pitched 
voice:) 
Chicken  Licken.    Peep-peep-peep!   \'\Tiere  are  you 
going,  Henny  Penny  and  Cocky  Locky? 
(In  unison:) 

Henny  Penny.  Cut,  cut,  cut ! 
Cocky  Locky.  Cock-a-doodle-do ! 
O  Chicken  Licken,  the  sky  is  falling,  and  we  are  going 
to  tell  the  King. 

Chicken  Licken.  Peep,  peep,  peep,  I  '11  go  with  you, 
Henny  Penny  and  Cocky  Locky. 

(Just  then  the  dux^k  ic addles  in  on  the  stage.) 
Ducky   Daddles   (quacking    like  a  diLck).    Quack, 
quack!    Where  are  you  going,  Henny  Penny,  Cocky 
Locky,  and  Chicken  Licken? 
(All  together:) 

Heiwy  Penny.   Cut,  cut,  cut! 
213 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

Cocky  Locky.   Cock-a-doodle-doo ! 
Chicken  Licken.  Peep,  peep,  peep ! 
O  Ducky  Daddies,  the  sky  is  falling,  and  we  are  going 
to  tell  the  King. 

Ducky  Daddles.  Quack,  quack,  I  will  go  with  you, 
Henny  Penny,  Cocky  Locky,  and  Chicken  Licken. 

{These  birds   begin  to  get  in  line  forming  a 
semi-circle  in  the  order  in  which  they  have 
spoken.      The  goose  waddles  in  and  is  quite 
startled  to  see  the  gathering  of  friends  in  so 
unusual  a  manner.) 
Goosey  Loosey  (turning  head  from  one  to  another). 
Qua-ck,  qua-ck!    Where  are  you  going,  Henny  Penny, 
Cocky  Locky,  Chicken  Licken,  and  Ducky  Daddies? 
(Together,  each  making  his  own  sound). 
Henny  Penny.   Cut,  cut,  cut ! 
Cocky  Locky.   Cock-a-doodle-doo ! 
Chicken  Licken.  Peep,  peep,  peep! 
Ducky  Daddles.   Quack,  quack! 
O  Goosey  Loosey,  the  sky  is  falling,  and  we  are  going 
to  tell  the  King. 

Goosey  Loosey.  Qua-ck,  qua-ck,  then  I  will  go  with 
you,  Henny  Penny,  Cocky  Locky,  Chicken  Licken,  and 
Ducky  Daddies. 

(They  start  to  move  in  line  when  they  are  sur- 
prised by  the  entrance  of  an  elegant  turkey.) 
Turkey  Lurkey  (strutting  in  with  head  high  and 
shouting   to   them).     Gobble,    gobble,    gobble,    gobble! 
Where  are  ycu  going,  Henny  Penny,  Cocky  Locky, 
Chicken  Licken,  Ducky  Daddies,  and  Goosey  Loosey? 
(Together  as  before:) 

214 


MAKE-BELIEVE 

Henny  Penny.  Cut,  cut,  cut! 
Cocky  Locky.  Cock-a-doodle-do ! 
Chicken  Licken.  Peep,  peep,  peep ! 
Ducky  Daddles.   Quack,  Quack! 
Goosey  Loosey.  Qua-ck,  qua-ck ! 
O  Turkey  Lurkey,  the  sky  is  falling,  and  we  are  going 
to  tell  the  King. 

Turkey  Lurkey  (strutting  to  end  of  the  line).  Gobble, 
gobble,  gobble,  gobble,  1  will  go  with  you,  Henny 
Penny,  Cocky  Locky,  Chicken  Licken,  Ducky  Daddies^ 
and  Goosey  Loosey. 

(With  heads  high  and  with  the  manner  of  going 
on  an  important  errand  they  walk  according 
to  the  bird  they  represent  in  line  across  the 
stage  each  making  its  own  noise.) 
Curtain  drops. 

Scene  2.  Room  in  the  King's  Palace.  Armchair  raised  up  on 
a  box  and  covered  ivith  rugs  to  represent  the  throne.  This 
placed  in  the  center  at  the  back  of  the  room.  Other  furni- 
ture placed  171  formal  manner  about  the  stage.  As  curtain  is 
opened  the  King  is  found  seated  on  his  throne.  His  Page 
enters  at  this  moment  and  bows  before  him. 

Page.  Your  Majesty,  there  are  guests  at  the  door. 
King  (ivith  commanding  voice).  Let  them  enter. 

(One  by  one  Henny  Penny,  Cocky  Locky, 

Chicken  Licken,  Ducky  Daddles,  Goosey 

Loosey  and  Turkey  Lurkey  ivalk  in  and 

stand  before  the  King.) 

King.    What  do  you  want,  Henny  Penny,  Cocky 

Locky,  Chicken  Licken,  Ducky  Daddies,  Goosey  Loosey, 

and  Turkey  Lurkey? 

215 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

Henny  Penny  {hastily  stepping  forward).  Cluck- 
cluck!  O  King,  the  sky  is  falling  and  we  came  to  tell 
you. 

King  {somewhat  amused).  But  the  sky  cannot  fall! 
What  made  you  think  it  was  falling? 

Henny  Penny.  Cluck-Cluck!  I  was  picking  corn  from 
the  cornstack  in  the  farmyard  and  something  fell  on  my 
topknot,  I  am  sure,  and  I  thought  it  was  a  piece  of  the 
sky. 

King.  Well,  v/ell,  let  us  see.  {The  King  beiids  forward 
and  examines  the  head  of  Henny  Penny.  Presently  he 
picks  out  a  kernel  of  corn  and  standing  up  holds  it  high 
that  every  one  may  see.  The  kernel  is  placed  in  her  cap 
before  she  enters  the  stage.)  {Spoken  slowly  and  decidedly.) 
Henny  Penny,  let  your  foolish  journey  teach  you  to 
think  twice  before  you  speak. 

(Henny  Penny  turns  away^  head  bowed,  and 
with  slow,  heavy  tread  leads  her  line  of  friends 
across  the  stage  and  out  of  the  door.  The  King 
sits  down  and  watches  each  fowl  as  it  moves 
off  with  bowed  head.  Just  as  the  turkey  goes 
out  of  the  door,  the  curtain  falls.  As  each  one 
passes  out,  crestfallen,  it  can  make  its  own 
sound.) 

•       THREE  LITTLE  KITTENS 

Characters 

Mother  Cat  —  Girl  with  spectacles,  cap,  and  some  knitting. 
Three  Kittens  —  Three  little  girls. 

Scene.  A  sitting-room  of  a  house.  Mother  Cat  is  seen  sitting 
in  the  room  when  the  curtain  rises.  She  is  busy  knitting  and 
216 


MAKE-BELIEVE 

rocking  in  her  chair.    Three  little  kittens  come  rushing  in 
from  a  side  entrance. 

Kittens  {speaking  all  at  once  and  very  excitedly). 

Oh,  mammy  dear. 

We  sadly  fear 

Our  mittens  we  have  lost ! 

IVIiew-Miew-Miew-Miew !  {Crying.) 
Mother  {speaking  sternly). 

What !  lost  your  mittens, 

You  naughty  kittens; 

Then  you  shall  have  no  pie. 

Gr-r-r  —  Gr-r-r  —  Gr-r-r !  —  {Growling.) 


Kittens. 
I  Kitten. 


Miew-Miew-Miew-Miew ! 


Let  us  look  everj^where  for  them. 

II  Kitten  {peeking  under  table). 

They  're  not  under  the  table. 
Miew-IVIiew-Miew-Miew!  , 

III  Kitten  {looking  into  a  hat-box). 

I  don't  see  them  here. 
Miew-Mew-Miew-lMiew ! 

I  Kitten  {crying  and  rubbing  her  eyes). 

Oh,  dear,  oh,  dear,  what  shall  we  do? 
Miew-Miew-Miew-Miew ! 

II  Kitten  {searching  everywhere) . 

Keep  on  looking  until  they're  found. 
{Three  kittens  rush  toward  a  waste-basket  and 
find  that  the  mittens  have  been  dropped  in 
there.) 

217 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

All  together  {excitedly), 

Miew-Miew-Miew ! 

Oh,  mammy  dear. 

See  here,  see  here. 

Our  mittens  we  have  found!" 

Mother  {dropping  her  knitting). 

What!  found  your  mittens. 
You  darUng  kittens; 
Then  you  shall  have  some  pie! 
Purr-Purr-Purr-Purr ! 
{They  gather  about  her;  she  puts  her  arms  around 
them  while  they  purr  together.   As  the  kittens 
are  putting  on  their  mittens.  Mother  brings 
out  a  pie,  placing  it  on  the  table.    She  gets  three 
plates,  knives,  and  forks,  and  sets  the  table. 
The  pie  can  be  a  round  sponge  cake  which  the 
children  can  eat.) 

Mother. 

Bring  your  chairs  up  to  the  table. 
Purr-Purr-Purr-Purr ! 
(Mother  sees  that  they  are  properly  seated  and 
then,  cutting  the  pie,  gives  them  each  a  piece 
which  they  immediately  proceed  to  eat. 
Mother  goes  back  to  her  chair  and  knits 
while  the  kittens  miew  and  purr  as  they  enjoy 
their  pie.  As  they  finish  eating  they  call  to 
their  mx)ther.) 

Kittens. 

Oh,  mammy  dear. 
We  sadly  fear 

218 


MAKE-BELIEVE 

Our  mittens  we  have  soiled. 
Miew-Miew-Miew-Miew!  (Crying.) 

Mother  (in  a  cross  voice). 

What !  soiled  your  mittens, 
You  naughty  kittens ! 
Gr-r-r  —  Gr-r-r  —  Gr-r-r ! 

Kittens. 

Miew-Miew-Miew-Miew ! 

Mother  (shaking  each  kitten's  shoulders  a  little). 
You  '11  have  to  clean  them, 
You  naughty  kittens! 
Gr-r-r  —  Gr-r-r  —  Gr-r-r ! 
(The  kittens  hurry  out  of  the  room  and  return,  each 
bringing  a  small  pail  and  ivashboard.    The 
pails  are  put  on  chairs  so  they  can  be  seen  by 
the  audience  and  each  kitten  makes  a  great 
commotion  in  scrubbing  her  mittens.    In  one 
corner  of  the  room  must  be  stretched  a  small 
clothesline  across  from  hook  to  hook.   As  each 
kitten  thinks  her  mittens  have  been  scrubbed 
sufficiently,  she  hangs  them  up  with  clothes- 
pins.   When  the  three  pairs  are  hung  up  to 
dry,  the  three  kittens  run  over  to  their  mother 
who  is  still  rocking  and  knitting.) 

Kittens  (happily). 

Oh,  mammy  dear, 
Look  here,  look  here. 
Our  mittens  we  have  washed. 
Miew-Miew-Miew-Miew. 
219 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

Mother  (delighted). 

What !  washed  your  mittens. 
You  good  little  kittens ! 
Purr-Purr-Purr-Purr. 

(Mother  strokes  each  head  and  then  goes  over 
to  examine  the  washing,  very  proud  of  her 
smart  children.  Suddenly,  the  Mother,  ivho 
seems  to  be  startled  by  something,  sniffs  the 
air,  and  crouches  closely  to  her  children,  say- 
ing:) 
Hush,  hush,  I  smell  a  rat  close  by! 

(They  all  dash  off  the  stage.  Mother  goes  first 
and  then  each  little  kitten  on  tip-toes  and 
creeping.) 

Curtain  drops, 

OLD  MOTHER  HUBBARD  AND  HER  DOG 

Characters 

Old  Mother  Hubbard  —  Girl  dressed  with  cap,  spectacles, 

long  dark  dress,  and  white  apron. 
The  Dog  —  Boy. 
The  Cat  —  Girl. 
The  Goat  —  Boy. 

Scene.  A  dining-room  with  plain  furniture.  As  curtain 
opens  the  dog  is  lying  on  the  floor.  As  Old  Mother  Hub- 
bard enters  the  dog  gets  up  and  goes  to  meet  her. 

Dog.  Bow-wow!  Bow-wow! 

Mother  Hubbard.  Poor  dog,  you  are  hungry.  I'll 
go  to  the  cupboard  and  find  you  a  bone.  {Goes  to  cup- 
board  and  opens  it.)  Alas!  the  cupboard  is  bare! 

T>OG  {whines  and  slowly  barks) .  Bow-wow!  Bow-wow! 
220 


MAKE-BELIEVE 

Mother  Hubbard  (tying  on  her  bonnet).  I'll  go  to 
the  baker's  and  buy  you  some  bread. 

(She  leaves  the  room  and  the  dog  falls  over  on 
his  side.) 
Mother   Hubbard    (returning  vnth   loaf  of  bread, 
throws  up  her  hands,  screams).    My  poor  dog  is  dead! 
I  must  go  to  the  undertaker's  to  buy  him  a  coflfin! 

(She  goes  over  to  look  at  her  dog,  then  rushes  out 
of  the  room,  crying.   The  dog  sits  up  and  looks 
around.) 
Dog  (as  Mother  Hubbard  comes  back).   Ha-Ha- 
Ha-Ha! 

Mother  Hubbard  (happy  again  pats  him  on  head). 
As  long  as  you're  alive  I'll  take  this  plate  and  go  out 
to  fetch  you  some  tripe. 

(When  she  comes  back  he  is  sitting  up  smoking 
a  pipe.) 
Mother  Hubbard  (with  hands  on  hips).   Well,  well, 
well,  you  are  a  funny  dog.  Guess  I  '11  go  to  the  grocer's 
to  buy  you  some  fruit. 

(While  she  is  gone  he  hunts  around  and  finds 

a  flute  on  the  shelf.    When  she  returns  she 

drops  her  basket  of  fruit  with  surprise  to  see 

him  playing  the  flute.) 

Mother  Hubbard.     Something  is  surely  the  matter 

with  you.  I  'II  go  to  the  Tavern  to  buy  you  wine,  white 

and  red. 

(She  comes  back  to  find  him  standing  on  his  head. 
If  this  is  too  difficult,  perhaps  he  can  turn 
somersaults.) 


221 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

Mother  Hubbard  (going  out  of  the  room).  I'll  go 
to  the  kitchen  some  broth  to  prepare. 

(The  dog  understood  it  was  food  she  was  going 

after  so  when  she  returned  she  found  he  had 

climbed  into  a  chair.) 

Mother  Hubbard.  Well,  well,  I  never  saw  the  beat 

of  you,  you  knew  what  I  said.   I'll  draw  up  this  table, 

put  on  a  tablecloth,  and  give  you  some  dinner. 

(First  she  brought  in  a  bowl  of  soup  which  he 
drank  right  down.) 
Dog.   Bow-wow!  Bow-wow \  (meaning  it  was  good). 
(Next  she  brought  in  some  meat  and  with  his 
knife  and  fork  he  cut  it  up  himself  and  ate  it.) 
Dog.   Bow-wow!  Bow-wow! 

Mother  Hubbard  (standing  near  him  and  looking 
at  him  with  pride).  Dear  me,  if  you  can  do  all  these 
things  you  must  be  dressed  up  like  folks,  so  I'll  go  out 
to  the  tailor's  to  buy  you  a  coat.    (Goes  out.) 

Goat  enters.  (A  boy  comes  in  walking  on  hands  and  feet.) 
Goat.   Bla-a-a!  Bla-a-a!  Bla-a-a! 
Dog  (running  to  him  joyously) .   Bow-wow !  Bow-wow ! 
Bow! 

(They  play  together  and  as  Mother  Hubbard 
comes  in  carrying  a  coat  on  her  arm  she 
screams.) 
Mother  Hubbard.    Mercy  me!    Mercy  me!    He's 
riding  the  Goat ! 

(The  dog  climbs  on  the  back  of  the  goat  as  he 
walks  around  the  room.  The  goat  goes  out  one 
door  as  Mother  Hubbard  leaves  by  the 
other  one.   The  dog  is  alone  again.) 


MAKE-BELIEVE 

Cat  enters,    {A  little  girl  runs  in). 
Cat.  Miew-Miew-lVIiew! 
Dog.  (in  kindly  voice).  Bow-wow!  Bow-wow! 

(The  dog  pats  the  cat's  head,  then  puts  her  in  a 
chair  and  draws  her  up  to  the  table.    With  a 
spoon  he  begins  to  feed  her  milk  from  a  bowl. 
Mother  Hubbard  (entering  with  a  hat  in  her  hand). 
Gracious  me,  he's  feeding  the  cat!    I'll  leave  them 
alone  and  go  to  the  hosier's  to  buy  the  dog  some  hose. 
(The  cat  gets  down  from  her  chair  and  goes  to 
one  side  of  the  room  where  she  proceeds  to 
make-believe  wash  her  face  with  her  paws.  In 
the  meantime  the  dog  tries  on  his  coat  and  hat.) 
Mother  Hubbard  (returning).    Here  he  is  dressed 
in  his  clothes.    I  must  go  to  the  cobbler's  to  buy  him 
some  shoes. 

(The  dog  now  sits  down  in  a  chair  and,  finding 

a  pair  of  spectacles,  puts  them  on,  takes  up  a 

newspaper,  and  looks  at  it.) 

Mother  Hubbard   (bringing  in  a  pair  of   shoes). 

Just  look  at  this,  he  is  reading  the  news!  I  must  go  to 

the  barber's  to  buy  him  a  wig. 

(This  time  when  she  returns  she  finds  the  cat  and 
the  dog  dancing  a  jig.   She  makes  many  ges- 
tures of  amazement  and  of  approval.   The  dog 
is  too  wonderful  for  her  to  say  much,  so  — ) 
The  dame  made  a  curtsey, 
The  dog  made  a  bow, 
The  dame  said,  "Your  servant!" 
The  dog  said,  "Bow-wow!" 
Curtain  falls 


XV 
BUILDING  AND  CONSTRUCTION 

"  The  ball  is  the  first  friend  of  a  child  and  is  the  best  means 
of  interpreting  his  world."      (Sntdee.) 

THE  universal  toy,  from  the  infant  in  his  crib  to  the 
man  on  the  professional  diamond  or  golf  course, 
is  the  ball.  History  tells  us  that  the  Greeks  and  Romans 
had  a  special  place  for  the  ball  in  their  school  curricu- 
lum with  special  masters  to  instruct  in  the  use  of  it. 
Excavators  have  also  found  the  ball  in  the  ruins  of  the 
Lake  Dwellers. 

Realizing  the  significance  of  its  value  it  becomes  the 
first  toy  for  the  baby.  It  seems  to  awaken  his  m^ental 
and  physical  powers  because  of  its  simplicity,  always 
presenting  the  same  appearance,  its  activity,  its  ease 
and  safety  in  handling;  and  finally  it  resembles  so  many 
things  in  form,  and  motion.  If  it  is  swinging  from  a 
string  it  has  rhythm,  and  therefore  the  baby  gains  un- 
consciously this  sense-stimulation.  Through  months  of 
growing  the  child  has  a  ball  for  his  constant  companion. 
The  spirit  of  play  soon  enters  in  with  this  toy.  Move- 
ment is  interpreted  by  having  the  child  swing  the  ball, 
roll  it,  throw  it  from  him  and  have  it  come  back,  bounce 
it,  see  it  fall,  push  it,  and  draw  it.  Many  simple  games 
may  be  played  to  illustrate  these  ideas.  Further  sug- 
gestions for  ball  play  may  be  found  elsewhere  in  this 
volume.  Slowly,  slowly,  the  use  of  the  ball  grows  until 

224 


BUILDING  AND  CONSTRUCTION 

it  creates  in  the  boy's  mind  the  game  of  baseball,  tennis, 
and  golf.  It  becomes  the  basis  for  all  sport  through  all 
stages  and  all  ages. 

Every  child  loves  to  create.  If  the  proper  material  for 
building  is  not  at  hand,  it  is  not  long  before  the  child  is 
busy  at  work  with  manufactured  blocks  of  his  own,  such 
as  scraps  of  wood  or  pieces  of  glass,  which,  to  the  adult 
eye,  are  most  unsatisfactory  and  inadequate. 

At  the  age  of  three  years,  the  child  endeavors  to  in- 
vestigate for  himself  the  interior  construction  of  things. 
WTio  has  not  seen  a  child,  left  alone  with  an  unfamiliar 
object,  examine  it,  and  then  try  to  see  what  is  inside? 
Every  young  child  instinctively  takes  things  apart  and 
puts  them  together  over  and  over  again  with  no  definite 
aim,  but  just  with  curiosity  to  handle  things.  He  is 
continually  covering  and  uncovering  a  box,  or  endlessly 
emptying  a  drawer  merely  to  fill  it  again. 

It  is  because  of  these  instinctive  desires,  therefore, 
that  blocks  of  definite  form  and  size  have  been  made  as 
one  of  the  most  instructive  toys  which  can  be  given  to 
children.  The  stores  are  full  of  a  large  assortment  from 
which  to  choose.  There  are  wooden  blocks,  plain, 
painted,  or  pictured,  as  well  as  blocks  made  of  cement 
and  in  different  shapes.  From  a  new  house  in  process  of 
building,  left-over  blocks  may  be  gathered  which 
should  be  cut  into  definite  sizes  and  sand-papered  until 
smooth  for  the  young  child  to  handle. 

From  the  carpenter  a  few  pieces  of  joists  of  light- 
weight wood,  such  as  sugar  pine,  may  be  purchased. 
Cut  and  smooth  these  into  blocks  of  different  dimen- 
sions, giving  the  child  free  opportunity  to  construct  a 

225 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

narrow  window  or  broad  doorway  as  he  chooses.  Tri- 
angular pieces  afford  opportunity  for  erecting  slanting 
roofs.  Very  thin  pieces  of  boards  make  excellent  floors 
laid  between  blocks  to  make  floors  of  doll-houses,  suc- 
cessive floors  of  apartment  houses  or  office  buildings. 
In  making  a  house,  the  child  builds  one  hke  those  with 
which  he  has  had  experience.  The  city  child  thinks  of 
the  apartment  in  which  he  lives,  or  the  building  where 
Father  has  an  office,  or  the  engine-house.  The  child  in  a 
smaller  community  thinks  of  the  barn,  schoolhouse,  or 
the  church. 

Long,  narrow  pieces  of  wood  laid  on  the  floor  will  al- 
ways suggest  to  the  boy  tracks  on  which  he  can  run  his 
train  of  cars.  It  can  also  be  a  canal,  the  wooden  sides 
forming  the  dikes.  Boats  of  paper  or  wood  can  be 
dragged  along  with  string  by  a  horse  which  walks  along 
the  embankment.  This  play  will  be  suggested  by  stories 
from  Holland  or  from  descriptions  of  another  way  of 
transportation  in  this  country  like  the  Erie  Canal  in 
New  York  or  the  great  Panama  Canal. 

With  the  use  of  blocks  build  at  one  end  of  these  tracks 
steps  from  which  the  tracks  can  slope  down  to  the  floor. 
This  makes  a  raceway  through  which  marbles  will  run 
with  great  speed,  starting  them  at  the  tower  of  blocks  at 
one  end.  This  affords  great  amusement  for  both  boys 
and  girls. 

The  blocks  which  the  child  uses  to  construct  his  tower 
or  his  wall,  tell  him  a  story  of  the  waving  forest  upon 
the  distant  mountain,  of  the  woodman  with  his  axe,  of 
the  rushing  mountain  stream,  the  sawmill,  the  busy 
carpenter,  and    all   the    helpful  work  of   humankind 


BUILDING  AND  CONSTRUCTION 

which  ministers  to  pleasure.  Let  him  hear  the  follow- 
ing lines  and  he  will  find  more  fun  in  opening  his  box  of 
toys: 

THE  PLAYTHINGS  IN  A  BOX 

This  is  the  box,  so  smooth  and  long. 
That  held  the  baby's  playthings. 
This  is  the  carpenter,  tall  and  strong, 
Who  made  the  box  so  smooth  and  long. 
To  hold  the  baby's  playthings. 

This  is  the  mill  where  the  wheel  goes  round, 
And  the  wood  is  sawed  with  a  buzzing  sound. 
The  wood  for  the  carpenter,  tall  and  strong. 
To  make  the  box  so  smooth  and  long. 
To  hold  the  baby's  playthings. 

These  are  the  oxen,  steady  and  true; 
'Way  from  the  forest  the  logs  they  drew, 
Down  to  the  mUl  where  the  wheel  goes  round. 
And  the  wood  is  sawed  with  a  buzzing  sound. 
The  wood  for  the  carpenter,  tall  and  strong. 
To  make  the  box  so  smooth  and  long. 
To  hold  the  baby's  playthings. 

This  is  the  teamster,  with  measured  tread, 
W^ho  drives  the  oxen  before  the  sled. 
These  faithful  oxen,  steady  and  true, 
'Way  from  the  forest  the  logs  they  drew, 
Down  to  the  mill  where  the  wheel  goes  round, 
And  the  wood  is  sawed  with  a  buzzing  sound. 
The  wood  for  the  carpenter,  tall  and  strong. 
To  make  the  box  so  smooth  and  long. 
To  hold  the  baby's  playthings. 

This  is  the  woodman  with  axe  and  all, 
WTio  chops  the  tree  to  make  it  fall. 
To  give  to  the  teamster,  with  measured  tread. 
Who  drives  the  oxen  before  the  sled. 

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CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

These  faithful  oxen,  steady  and  true, 
'Way  from  the  forest  the  logs  they  drew, 
Down  to  the  mill  where  the  wheel  goes  round. 
And  the  wood  is  sawed  with  a  buzzing  sound. 
The  wood  for  the  carpenter,  tall  and  strong. 
To  make  the  box  so  smooth  and  long. 
To  hold  the  baby's  playthings. 

This  is  the  darling  baby  boy 
Who  seized  the  box  with  greatest  joy. 
The  wooden  box,  so  smooth  and  long. 
Made  by  the  carpenter,  tall  and  strong. 
Out  of  the  tree  which  the  oxen  drev/ 
'Way  from  the  forest  in  which  it  grew. 
In  this  box  the  baby  found 
Playthings  square,  and  some  were  round. 
The  ball  he  rolled  upon  the  floor. 
The  blocks  he  piled  up  by  the  score; 
BuUt  low,  built  high,  with  great  delight, 
Because  he  knew  he  had  the  right 
To  play  with  playthings  in  his  box. 


THIRD  GIFT 

Building  blocks  which  have  been  used  in  the  kinder- 
garten for  many  years  are  called  "Gifts."  These  are 
sets  of  series  of  blocks  made  of  plain  wood  and  come  in 
boxes.  As  the  Ball,  baby's  iSrst  toy,  is  called  the  First 
Gift,  the  Ball,  Cube,  and  Cylinder  together  are  called 
the  Second  Gift,  we  begin  with  the  first  box  of  blocks, 
calling  it  the  Third  Gift.  This  is  composed  of  eight 
cubes  an  inch  in  diameter,  which  piled  together  in  sym- 
metrical form  make  one  large  cube  two  inches  square. 
These  come  also  in  larger  dimensions  for  constructing 
on  the  floor  larger  buildings  and  toys.  School-supply 
houses  can  furnish  you  with  any  size  desired,  the  ex- 


BUILDING  AND  CONSTRUCTION 

pense  naturally  increasing  according  to  the  dimensions 
called  for. 

Simple  as  these  blocks  are,  they  present  great  possi- 
bilities for  the  child's  inventive  ability.  Many  practical 
lessons  may  be  gained  from  the  use  of  them,  and  with 
the  accompaniment  of  a  story  or  rhyme  fascinating  il- 
lustrations are  possible.  Let  the  child  experiment  for 
himself,  finding  out  what  he  can  do  with  his  toy.  As  he 
continues,  the  mother  may  suggest  something  which 
will  bring  to  the  child  newer  and  better  ideas.  It  is 
through  such  cooperation  that  the  child  develops  his 
power  of  discrimination,  originality,  initiative,  and  is 
stimulated  to  close  observation  of  the  great  world  of 
form  through  his  work. 

The  child,  when  given  his  new  blocks,  naturally  piles 
them  or  puts  them  in  a  straight  row.  Here  is  Mother's 
chance  to  suggest  that  it  be  called  a  train  of  cars.  Count 
them  and  see  how  many  cars  there  are.  Now  the  com- 
monplace little  blocks  are  changed  into  houses,  barns, 
gates,  steps,  and  churches.  To  the  child,  the  crude 
houses  he  builds  are  lived  in  by  real  people,  animals  live 
in  the  barn  he  constructs,  while  he  imagines  people 
and  vehicles  cross  his  bridge.  Building  forms,  such  as 
tables  and  chairs,  are  imitations  of  things  seen  in  the 
child's  ordinary  experiences.  Placing  the  blocks  in  cer- 
tain set  positions  form  designs,  while  piling  them  high 
makes  towers  and  monuments.  Number  work  enters 
in,  too,  for  the  blocks  must  be  counted  separately  and 
in  combinations. 

It  is  detrimental  to  let  a  child  construct  objects  and 
then  destroy  them  with  no  thoughtful  purpose.    Let 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

him  construct  objects  and  from  them  develop  others. 
Changing  from  one  thing  to  another  in  this  work  is 
called  "Transformation  in  the  Form  of  Sequences." 
This  comes  in  the  form  of  instruction  after  the  child  has 
become  somewhat  weary  of  his  own  free  play.  If  the 
directions  are  given  in  story  form  the  play  will  be  dou- 
bly entertaining. 

Transformation  Series. 

Use  eight  cubes  of  equal  size.  Pile  four  on  top  of  four, 
which  are  on  the  table,  making  one  large  cube.  Begin 
the  story  with  blocks  in  this  position  saying: 

I.  This  cube  is  the  house  a  little  boy  lives  in.  It  is  a 

square  house. 
II.  His  father  takes  him  downtown  stopping  first  at 
the  post-office. 

(Take  two  back  cubes  in  each  hand  and  bring 
them  forward  beside  each  side  of  the  front  four. 
You  will  have  a  long,  low  building  two  cubes  high 
and  four  cubes  long,  facing  you.) 

III.  From  here  they  go  to  the  father's  office  building. 

(Take  two  blocks  in  each  hand  from  each  side  of 
this  low  building  and  place  them  on  top.  These 
now  should  be  two  cubes  wide  and  four  cubes 
high.) 

IV.  As  they  looked  out  of  the  office  window  they  saw  a 
high  tower  or  chimney. 

(Turn  the  office  building  around  so  the  narrow 
side  faces  you.   With  both  hands  raise  four  cubes 
on  top  of  the  other  four  cubes,  making  eight  in  all. 
Here  you  have  a  tall  chimney.) 
230 


BUILDING  AND  CONSTRUCTION 

V.  As  father  and  son  are  going  back  home  they  pass  a 
church. 

(Take  two  cubes  down  and  place  them  at  right 
of  the  chimney.  Bring  two  more  cubes  down  and 
place  two  beyond  the  first  two.  Now  you  have  a 
church  tower  at  the  left  four  cubes  high,  the 
church  part  is  tw^o  cubes  bej^ond  the  tower  on  the 
right  side.) 
VI.  Next  they  see  a  fire-engine  house. 

(Take  the  two  outer  cubes  at  the  right  and  place 
them  on  the  left  side  of  the  tower  which  brings  the 
tower  in  the  middle.) 
VII.  Home  again. 

(Place  the  upper  two  cubes  of  the  tower  behind 
the  lower  cubes  of  the  tower  and  with  the  remain- 
ing two  cubes  fill  in  the  space  at  the  back  forming 
the  original  one  large  cube.) 

FOURTH  GIFT 

Next  in  the  series  of  blocks  comes  the  Fourth  Gift, 
which  is  made  up  of  eight  blocks  rectangular  in  shape. 
The  proportions  of  these  being  two  inches  long,  one  inch 
wide,  and  one  half  an  inch  thick.  These  are  called 
bricks  and  when  piled  together  make  the  same  two-inch 
cube  as  was  found  in  the  Third  Gift.  These  blocks  pre- 
sent more  and  varied  possibilities  to  the  child  and  he 
delights  in  discovering  for  himself  the  many  uses  to 
which  they  can  be  put.  He  builds  steps,  fences,  gates, 
bird-houses,  furniture,  and  so  on,  lending  more  artistic 
and  natural  form  to  the  original  models. 

Examples  of  transformation  are  here  given  using  the 
231 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

bricks.   They  afford  much  pleasure  as  well  as  develop 
ability  to  count  and  accuracy  of  work. 

Story  of  going  to  see  Grandmother. 
I.  Children  start  from  home. 

(Their  house  is  the  bricks  piled  to  form  a  square; 
two  piles  of  four  bricks  each  side  by  side.) 
II.  Went  to  see  Grandmother  in  a  coach  with  two 
horses. 

(Take  two  upper  bricks  and  place  them  in  front 
on  the  table  on  their  long  narrow  sides.) 
III.  They  drove  past  a  factory. 

(Use  the  two  bricks  which  were  the  horses  and 
pile  one  on  top  of  the  other  on  the  small  narrow 
side,  placing  them  back  of  one  of  the  piles  of  three 
bricks.) 
IV.  On  reaching  Grandma's  house  they  found  her  sit- 
ting in  a  big  chair. 

(Take  one  brick  from  each  of  the  piles  and 
put  up  beside  the  factory  chimney  in  same  man- 
ner. These  make  a  broad,  high  back  to  the 
chair.) 
V.  The  children  found  two  small  chairs  beside  Grand- 
ma for  them  to  sit  in. 

(Separate  the  big  chair  in  two  parts  making  two 
chairs  with  two  high  backs.) 
VI.  They  went  down  into  the  garden  to  play  in  a 
pretty  summer  house. 

(Stand  up  on  small  ends  four  bricks  for  pillars. 
Lay  a  brick  on  its  broad  side  across  the  tops  of 
two  pillars  and  another  across  the  tops  of  the  other 
232 


BUILDING  AND  CONSTRUCTION 

two  pillars.  Now  join  these  by  laying  the  remain- 
ing two  bricks  on  top  of  these  making  a  roof.) 
VII.  Grandma  called  them  to  supper  and  again  they 
fomid  their  two  chairs.  After  that  Grandma  sat  in 
her  big  chair  and  bade  the  children  good-bye  as 
they  drove  off  in  the  coach  with  two  horses.  They 
passed  the  factory  again  and  finally  reached  home 
safe  and  sound. 

(Here  the  transformation  goes  backward  over 
the  same  construction  till  finally  the  bricks  are  in 
their  original  position.) 

The  little  hoy  who  went  to  Church. 

I.  Once  upon  a  time  there  was  a  little  boy  who  lived 
in  a  square  house. 

(Make  same    square    formation  of  the    eight 
bricks.  Have  the  narrow,  short  sides  facing  you.) 
II.  On  leaving  his  house  he  went  to  the  garage  and 
found  the  automobile  was  out. 

(With  each  hand  take  two  bricks  from  the  top 
placing  them  on  each  side  of  the  center  ones. 
This  is  the  garage.) 
III.  From  here  he  strolled  down  the  board  walk. 

(Take  one  brick  in  each  hand;  lay  them  down  on 
table  beside  the  others.  Take  the  remaining  two 
bricks  on  top  and  do  the  same.  Now  you  have 
eight  bricks  lying  in  a  row  with  narrow  sides  facing 
you.) 
IN.  He  passed  a  fence. 

(Very  carefully  raise  these  eight  bricks  to  a 
standing  position,  the  broad  sides  facing  you.) 
233 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

V.  He  came  to  a  gate. 

(Take  the  two  center  bricks  out  and  balance 
them  one  on  each  side,  touching  each  other  over 
the  middle  of  the  gateway.  These  two  bricks 
should  be  lying  on  long  narrow  sides.) 
VI.  Walking  through  the  gateway  he  came  to  the  door 
of  a  beautiful  church. 

(Take  the  next  two  outer  bricks  of  the  fence  and 
on  their  small  sides  stand  them  on  top  of  the  gate- 
way, giving  an  effect  of  a  tower.) 
VII.  After  church  he  came  out  through  the  church 
door,  and  the  gateway.  He  passed  the  fence,  went 
down  the  board  walk,  looked  in  at  the  garage  and 
then  went  into  his  house. 

(Take  the  steps  backwards  with  same   direc- 
tions as  given.   The  bricks  will  again  be  piled  in 
their  original  position.   With  these  suggestions  of 
transformations  children  can  build  in   sequence 
from  their  own  experiences.) 
With  the  combination  of  the  cubes  from  the  Third 
Gift  and  bricks  from  the  Fourth  Gift  there  is  a  broader 
field  of  building  with  more  artistic  results.   Let  a  cube 
be  the  chair  and  a  brick  stand  up  to  be  its  back.   Two 
of  these  chairs  put  together  will  be  a  bench.  On  top  of 
a  cube  put  the  brick  broad  side.   Two  of  these  placed 
side  by  side  make  a  square  table.    Make  four  chairs 
and  put  one  on  each  side  of  the  table.  This  can  be  used 
as  the  dining-room  table  for  four  little  dolls. 

Pillars,  forming  gateways,  doorways,  and  windows, 
can  be  made  by  standing  a  brick  on  its  small  end  on 
top  of  a  cube.  Place  another  cube  on  top  of  this  brick. 

234 


BUILDING  AND  CONSTRUCTION 

By  placing  two  pillars  side  by  side  a  window  is  formed. 
For  a  gateway  spread  two  pillars  apart  joining  them  at 
the  top  by  laying  a  brick  across.  Build  steps  in  between 
the  pillars  of  the  gateway  to  make  a  doorway.  Piling 
pillars  higher  with  windows  will  develop  attractive 
towers  and  monuments. 

Laying  bricks  and  cubes  on  the  table  in  regular  and 
alternating  formation  will  make  Grecian  border  pat- 
terns. Unit  designs  can  be  worked  out  by  starting  with 
a  hollow  center  formed  with  cubes  or  bricks.  Whatever 
block  is  placed  on  one  side  must  be  placed  in  the  same 
position  on  the  other  three  sides.  Continue  balancing 
the  four  sides  with  good  arrangement  of  blocks  until  all 
are  used.  Designs  are  innumerable  that  can  be  worked 
out  in  this  way  and  greatly  please  the  little  folks,  for 
there  is  real  beauty  to  them. 

FIFTH  GIFT 

The  next  box  of  blocks  is  the  Fifth  Gift.  It  contains 
twenty-seven  cubes  which  in  its  compact  formation 
makes  a  three-inch  cube.  When  separated  we  find  that 
some  blocks  are  divided  into  halves  and  some  into 
quarters.  With  these  triangular  blocks  new-shaped 
articles  and  buildings  can  be  made.  Slanting  roofs  can 
be  made  to  houses  and  more  elaborate  monuments, 
arches,  and  bridges  can  be  constructed. 

A  group  of  farm  buildings  can  be  made  from  this 
Gift,  which  not  only  uses  the  imagination,  but  can  tell 
a  story  as  it  progresses. 

House.  At  one  side  of  the  table  arrange,  side  by  side, 
and  running  back  from  you,  two  rows  of  three  cubes 

235 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

each.  On  top  of  the  right-hand  row  place  another  row 
of  three  cubes*  Now  on  top  of  the  first  two  cubes  of  this 
row  put  two  quarter  cubes  having  the  broad  side  flat  to 
the  cube.  This  makes  part  of  the  roof.  On  the  third 
and  back  cube  stand  two  quarter  cubes  together,  on 
small  triangle  ends,  to  make  a  chimney.  On  the  left- 
hand  row  of  three  lower  cubes  place  three  half  cubes  in 
a  right-angle  position.  These  will  lean  against  the  right- 
side  row  and  complete  the  slanting  roof.  Make  a  front 
door  and  side  door  by  placing  a  quarter  block  broad 
side  against  the  cubes  in  the  center  of  any  two  sides. 

Bam,  Place  four  cubes  in  a  row;  now  another  row  of 
four  cubes  on  top  of  these.  On  top  of  the  three  cubes  place 
three  half  cubes,  broad  side  flat  to  the  cubes  to  make 
an  overhanging  roof.  On  the  fourth  cube  put  two  quar- 
ters together  to  make  the  same  shape  as  the  half  cube. 

Henhouse.  Place  three  cubes  in  a  row.  Put  three 
quarter  cubes  on  top,  broad  sides  flat  to  the  cubes. 
These  make  the  roof. 

Dog  kennel.  There  is  one  cube  left  on  which  place  the 
last  quarter  block  to  make  a  little  roof.  Group  the 
buildings  as  desired,  but  it  is  attractive  if  they  are 
placed  to  make  a  yard  in  the  center. 

An  illustration  of  building  with  these  blocks  can  be 
found  in  this  volume  in  the  chapter  on  "Toy  Villages." 
Houses,  public  buildings,  and  churches  will  soon  de- 
velop into  the  semblance  of  a  town.  In  the  picture 
there  is  also  seen  in  front  of  the  buildings  a  sidewalk. 
These  are  flat  squares  of  polished  wood  called  "tablets." 
Placed  one  after  another  in  a  row  they  give  quite  a  bit 
of  dignity  to  the  town. 

236 


BUILDING  AND  CONSTRUCTION 

These  tablets  represent  one  side  or  face  of  the  cube 
and  are  used  with  pretty  effects  for  flat-design  work. 
They  are  prepared  for  children  to  use  in  squares, 
circles,  and  different-shaped  triangles  and  can  be  pur- 
chased in  bulk  at  school-supply  stores. 

SIXTH  GIFT 

The  Sixth  Gift  far  surpasses  the  other  blocks  in  its 
architectural  forms.  It  is  made  up  of  bricks,  half  bricks 
and  columns  which  work  out  with  splendid  success  in 
making  colonnades  and  buildings  resembling  those  of 
the  Grecian  type. 

By  combining  the  Fifth  and  Sixth  Gifts  still  more 
elaborate  work  can  be  done.  A  toy  village  will  look  more 
like  a  palatial  courtyard.  A  throne  can  be  built  at  one 
end  on  which  may  sit  little  dolls  dressed  in  royal  robes. 
A  May  Festival  is  in  progress  and  a  Maypole  is  in  the 
center  of  the  court.  Put  a  stick  in  the  middle  of  an 
empty  spool.  On  top  of  the  stick  should  be  tacked  pretty 
colored  streamers  of  tissue  paper.  This  is  the  Maypole 
and  is  surrounded  by  little  dolls  dressed  in  white  ready 
for  the  dance. 

At  intervals  about  the  courtyard  should  be  trees. 
These  are  made  like  the  Maypole  using  green  paper  for 
the  tree  foliage.  Use  the  tablets  for  walks  and  to  sur- 
round flower  beds  or  make-believe  fountains. 

The  educational  value  to  the  child  in  using  these 
special  blocks  designed  for  the  kindergarten  are  many 
and  varied.  They  are  an  outlet  for  the  child's  creative 
impulse  and  they  afford  an  opportunity  for  him  to  ex- 
press his  originality  in  this  construction  work.    They 

237 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

satisfy  the  desire  of  the  little  artist  to  make  beautiful 
designs  and  buildings. 

For  the  child  who  does  not  own  them,  wood  can  be 
cut  as  before  suggested.  Father  or  big  brother  who  are 
interested  to  help,  have  a  great  opportunity  to  do  their 
part  in  assisting  in  the  early  beginnings  of  the  educa- 
tion for  the  youngest  members  of  the  household.  In 
the  humblest  home  there  is  no  reason  why  some  form 
of  blocks  cannot  be  enjoyed  by  these  little  builders. 

STICKS 

It  is  very  natural  for  children  to  be  interested  in  and 
play  with  sticks.  They  like  to  gather  sticks,  pile  them, 
arrange  them,  and  count  them.  Having  observed  this 
manner  of  play  the  kindergarten  recognizes  their  value 
enough  to  introduce  this  form  of  occupation  into  defi- 
nite instruction.  On  closer  study  one  can  see  that 
sticks  represent  the  outlines  of  objects.  The  edges 
of  the  blocks  we  have  just  read  about  are  represented 
by  lines  on  paper.  As  a  basis  of  drawing,  the  child 
having  made  a  picture  of  simple  objects  with  sticks, 
he  is  better  able  to  take  pencil  in  hand  and  reproduce 
what  he  has  made  on  paper. 

Small  sticks  an  eighth  of  an  inch  in  diameter,  and  in 
different  dimensions  from  a  half -inch  to  five  inches  long, 
may  be  purchased  from  kindergarten  supply-stores. 
Toothpicks  or  burnt  matches  may  be  whittled  to  de- 
sirable lengths  also.  A  child  will  play  with  them  by  the 
hour  developing  all  kinds  of  designs  and  pictures,  in 
outline  form. 

It  is  suggested  that  the  first  educational  and  simple 
238 


BUILDING  AND  CONSTRUCTION 

step  to  be  accomplished  is  the  placing  of  sticks  in  rows 
like  soldiers,  in  twos,  threes,  and  fours.  A  bit  of  mathe- 
matics enters  in  as  well  as  artistic  formation.  Next 
proceed  to  slanting  lines,  pointing  two  lines  and  finally 
adding  a  third  to  join  these  at  the  base  to  make  a 
triangle. 

Pass  on  to  the  use  of  four  sticks.  There  will  be  the 
square  and  rectangle  in  geometrical  form  from  which 
definite  designs  in  patterns  can  be  made.  Many  articles 
can  be  made,  too,  such  as  a  chair,  bed,  a  gate,  or  a  flag, 
one  side  of  the  square  being  a  longer  stick. 

With  five  sticks  a  greater  variety  of  pictures  can  be 
made,  such  as  a  house  with  slanting  roof,  shovel,  arrow, 
or  banner.  Now  give  free  use  of  sticks  of  different  length, 
and  a  goodly  number.  Here  are  suggestions  of  several 
things  to  do. 

Christmas-tree.  One  long  stick  with  many  short 
sticks  slanting  down  from  it  on  each  side  make  the 
branches. 

Flower  pot.  Four  sticks,  the  two  side  sticks  slanting 
inward  toward  the  bottom.  Sticks  short  and  long  at  the 
top  of  the  pot  to  represent  a  plant  with  leaves  and 
blossoms. 

Clover.  Three  small  triangles  meeting  at  the  center 
point  from  which  is  placed  a  stick  for  the  stem. 

Fireplace.  Large  rectangle  at  center  of  the  bottom 
line;  use  small  sticks  for  andirons  and  cross  tv»"0  sticks 
for  the  firewood.  On  top  of  the  horizontal  stick  which 
forms  the  mantel  place  small  sticks  for  candlesticks. 
Place  three  small  sticks  in  the  form  of  a  triangle  for  the 
candle  shades.  From  the  under  side  of  the  mantel  place 

^39 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

small  sticks  downward  representing  stockings  hung  for 
Santa  Claus. 

Tent.  Large  triangle.  Place  inside  two  small  chairs 
each  side  of  the  table  placed  in  the  center  of  the  triangle. 
Put  small  flag  at  the  top  of  the  triangle. 

Pig.  Form  a  rectangle.  At  the  upper  left-hand  corner 
make  a  small  triangle  with  small  sticks.  Find  a  bead 
for  an  eye.  Place  four  short  sticks  for  legs  below  the 
rectangle  and  a  short  stick  for  the  tail  at  the  right 
side. 

RINGS 

The  child  is  now  beginning  to  observe  the  edges  of 
everything.  The  sticks  represent  straight  edges,  but  he 
also  sees  curved  edges.  The  ball  is  round;  the  saucer  is, 
too.  Some  things  are  round  half  of  the  way  and  others 
have  just  a  short  curved  edge.  In  order  to  satisfy  this 
want,  once  again  the  kindergarten  has  furnished  the 
necessary  materials.  Metal  rings  made  whole,  in  halves, 
quarters,  and  eighths,  can  be  purchased  in  small  or 
large  quantities. 

Let  the  child  compare  different-sized  rings.  Place  one 
inside  of  the  other,  put  them  in  different  positions 
making  designs.  Now  take  the  half -circle,  quarter,  and 
eighth  sizes  and  gradually  combine  them.  The  child 
sees  beautiful  curves  everywhere,  in  the  trees,  flowers, 
hills,  and  ocean  waves.  With  the  help  of  the  rings  he 
can  make  all  these  illustrations.  Surely  the  steel  rings 
with  which  he  outhnes  beautiful  flowers  and  designs 
tell  him  a  fascinating  tale  more  wonderful  than  the 
magic  ring  of  the  Arabian  Nights. 

240 


BUILDING  AND  CONSTRUCTION 

Combining  the  sticks  and  rings  gives  a  wealth  of  ma- 
terial with  which  to  create  pictures  of  objects. 

Balloon.  A  stick  placed  at  the  bottom  of  the  large 
ring. 

Pipe.  Circle  resting  on  the  end  of  a  stick. 

Dumh-hell.  Two  rings  joined  by  two  parallel  sticks. 

Cart.  Two  circles  joined  by  a  stick  across  the  top. 
Another  stick  tipped  at  an  angle  at  the  end  makes  the 
handle. 

Cherries.  Two  sticks  brought  to  an  angle  point.  At 
the  other  end  of  the  two  sticks  are  small  circles. 

Umbrella.  A  stick  coming  down  from  the  inside  center 
of  the  large  half -circle. 

Hat.  A  stick  joining  two  ends  across  the  bottom  of 
the  large  half-circle. 

Vase.  Use  sticks  and  half  rings  making  the  two  sides 
alike.  Coming  from  the  top  of  the  vase  sticks  to  make 
flower  stems,  and  quarter  and  eighth  rings  arranged  to 
make  flower  petals  and  leaves. 

Pigeon  House.  Sticks  for  house;  quarter  rings  for 
Httle  windows  or  doors. 

Church.  Sticks  for  the  building  and  high  steeple; 
sticks  and  rings  to  make  doorways,  arches,  windows. 

House.  Sticks  for  building,  adding  an  ell,  chimneys, 
and  porch.  Use  eighth  rings  in  alternate  irregular  line  to 
represent  smoke  coming  from  the  chimney. 

Castle  Gate.  Towers  on  each  side  of  portal  gate  made 
with  combination  of  sticks  and  rings. 

Stories  or  a  child's  experiences  may  be  pictured  in 
outline  form.  A  visit  to  the  farm  would  mean  making  a 
panorama  of  house,  barn,  henhouse,  and  fence. 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

The  Three  Bears.  While  the  story  is  being  told  make 
three  chairs,  three  beds,  and  a  table  with  three  curved 
bowls.  A  few  small  eighth  rings  arranged  just  above  the 
bowls  give  the  appearance  of  steam  rising  from  the  por- 
ridge which  was  hot. 

Chicken.  For  the  body,  a  large  circle;  head,  small  cir- 
cle; bill  of  two  small  sticks;  and  find  a  bead  for  an  eye. 
Two  sticks  for  the  legs. 

Ostrich.  Body,  a  large  circle;  stick  for  a  long  neck; 
head,  made  like  the  chicken  at  the  top  of  the  neck. 
First  a  stick  and  then  three  quarter  rings  for  the  tail 
feathers.  Two  sticks  for  the  legs. 

Woman.  Medium-sized  ring  for  the  body;  large  half 
ring,  upside  down  with  stick  across  the  bottom,  for  a 
skirt.  Small  ring  for  the  head;  beads  and  very  small 
sticks  for  the  eyes,  nose,  and  mouth.  Quarter  rings  for 
the  arms.  At  the  end  of  one  arm  make  an  umbrella  with 
short  stick  and  quarter  ring.  Sticks  for  the  feet. 

Tablets  may  also  be  combined  with  sticks  and  rings. 
When  one  has  seen  the  great  possibilities  with  the  sticks 
and  rings,  the  tablets  will  offer  more  suggestions  along 
the  same  line  of  interests  with  which  to  experiment. 

LENTILS  OR  SEEDS 

In  the  chapter  on  nature  work  the  collective  instinct  was 
developed  through  a  play  which  seems  to  be  one  of  the 
greatest  pleasures  of  little  children.  The  gathering,  sort- 
ing, and  keeping  of  certain  materials  is  an  occupation  so 
thoroughly  appreciated  by  teachers  of  children  that  the 
use  of  them  and  the  encouraging  of  such  play  have  been 
introduced  into  the  child's  programme  of  education. 

242 


BUILDING  AND  CONSTRUCTION 

A  new  thought  expresses  itself  as  materials,  such  as 
pebbles,  shells,  seeds,  lentils,  or  even  buttons,  are  given 
for  occupation.  Place  pebbles  or  lentils  in  rows,  as  sug- 
gested with  the  sticks,  and  count  them.  As  the  child  is 
given  free  use  of  these  new  playthings  something  will 
soon  be  created. 

The  outline  forms  of  articles  known  to  the  child  will 
be  made  by  placing  the  seeds  side  by  side  to  make  a 
connecting  line.  Perhaps  the  mother  as  well  as  the  child 
is  interested  to  know  that  it  is  seed  by  seed  or  point  be- 
side point  which  in  reality  makes  the  complete  line.  In 
other  words,  he  is  drawing  a  picture  on  the  table,  not 
with  pencil  and  paper,  but  with  points. 

As  an  outline  is  made  the  center  can  be  filled  in  solid 
if  desired;  thus  giving  a  massed  effect.  For  example,  a 
circle  may  be  formed.  Fill  it  in  solid  with  seeds  and  a 
ball  is  suggested.  Take  a  few  seeds  away  from  the  top, 
making  an  indentation;  add  a  small  vertical  line  of 
seeds,  and  you  have  a  picture  of  an  apple.  A  Jack-o'- 
lantern,  doughnut,  basket,  cup,  or  a  flower  may  be  de- 
veloped from  the  circle. 

From  a  square  outline  which  has  been  made,  fill  in  or 
take  away  so  as  to  make  a  box,  house,  gate,  hat,  flower 
pot.  From  the  original  triangle  shape  suggestions  of  a 
tent,  tree,  fan,  bell,  or  a  flag  will  come.  Life  forms  of 
birds  and  animals  will  suggest  a  large  field  of  employ- 
ment for  busy  little  fingers.  Conventional  designs  and 
borders  can  be  copied  from  linoleums,  rugs,  and  wall- 
paper. This  work  encourages  creative  desires  and  will 
lead  to  the  making  of  permanent  drawings  of  articles  at 
another  time. 

US 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

In  introducing  occupations  such  as  the  ball,  building 
blocks,  sticks,  rings,  and  lentils,  it  is  not  the  purpose  to 
instruct  the  child  in  abstractions  which  do  not  properly 
belong  to  childhood,  but  to  lead  him  in  early  Hfe  to  the 
practical  knowledge  of  things  about  him.  These  should 
inculcate  in  him  the  love  of  industry,  helpfulness,  and 
independence  of  thought  and  action. 


XVI 

THE  NEIGHBORHOOD  GROUP 

A  KINDERGARTEN  for  every  child,  and  every 
child  in  a  kindergarten"  —  this  is  the  slogan  of 
Commissioner  Claxton  of  the  Bureau  of  Education.  But 
in  many  places  it  is  not  possible  to  have  a  kindergarten 
for  every  child.  In  the  country,  where  homes  are  widely 
separated  and  distances  are  great,  a  public  kindergarten 
cannot  be  maintained  as  a  part  of  the  school  system.  A 
neighborhood  group  may  often  be  formed,  however, 
where  two  or  three  families  live  near  enough  together 
to  permit  the  children  to  play  together.  Every  child 
needs  the  companionship  of  playmates.  The  solitary 
child  will  rarely  become  a  good  "mixer."  Social  contact 
is  necessary  in  the  period  of  childhood  in  order  to  form 
a  social  being. 

The  virtues  of  unselfishness,  generosity,  consideration 
for  others,  and  cooperation  are  cultivated  in  the  social 
group.  A  mother  who  desires  to  give  her  child  the  bene- 
fit of  group  work  and  play  may  open  a  play  school  in  her 
home.  She  may  invite  three  or  four  children  in  the 
neighborhood  to  come  to  her  home  for  two  or  three  hours 
daily  or  semi- weekly  as  her  time  permits.  The  home 
school  may  be  planned  like  a  kindergarten.  Each  child 
may  furnish  his  own  chair,  and  a  low  table  may  be  made 
by  cutting  down  a  kitchen  table.  Or  Father  or  Brother 
may  make  a  rustic  table.  In  the  summer  the  group  may 
meet  in  the  garden  or  in  the  woods.  A  programme  for 

245 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

the  day  should  begin  with  a  hymn  or  a  child's  prayer  or 
with  a  song  of  greeting.   (See  Volume  V.) 

Then  "the  time  has  come  to  talk  of  many  things"  — 
of  wind  and  weather,  of  the  signs  of  spring,  or  signs  of 
winter,  of  the  first  flowers,  the  first  birds,  of  the  hap- 
penings of  the  neighborhood,  of  the  work  to  be  done  in 
the  fields  or  in  the  home. 

This  "morning  talk"  corresponds  to  the  conversation 
of  older  people  and  should  set  a  standard  for  the  give- 
and-take  of  social  life.  Songs  may  be  suggested  by  the 
conversation  according  to  the  season.  In  the  spring 
children  like  to  sing  of  buds  and  blossoms,  of  birds  and 
bees,  of  the  farmer  in  his  field  and  of  the  little  garden 
bed.   (See  "Songs  of  the  Seasons,"  Volume  V.) 

No  piano  is  needed  for  these  songs.  It  is  better  for 
children  to  learn  to  sing  independently.  If  there  is  a 
piano  in  the  house,  it  may  be  used  while  learning  the 
songs.  It  is  also  useful  for  playing  rhythms  and  marches 
to  accompany  the  rhythmic  and  gymnastic  plays  which 
follow  the  morning  circle.   (See  Volume  V.) 

Much  free  play  is  desirable.  Running  plays  and  chas- 
ing plays  as  Hide  and  Seek,  Chase  the  Squirrel,  Hunt 
the  Thimble,  are  among  the  old  favorites.  Many  new 
plays  will  be  invented  by  a  group  of  children.  For  move- 
ment plays  see  the  chapter  on  "Games." 

Some  time  during  the  morning  or  afternoon  a  story 
group  should  be  formed.  The  mother  tells  the  first  story. 
The  little  listeners  should  be  ready  to  retell  the  story  and 
in  succeeding  days  to  tell  it  over  and  over  again.  When 
a  child  tells  a  story  he  gains  excellent  exercise  in  English. 
His  vocabulary  is  increased,  his  store  of  ideas  enlarged. 

246 


THE  NEIGHBORHOOD  GROUP 

The  stories  should  be  wisely  chosen  according  to  the 
ages  and  interests  of  the  group.  Each  season  brings  its 
own  circle  of  interests.  There  are  tales  of  especial  value 
in  the  fall  when  leaves  are  falling  and  nuts  and  fruits  are 
ripe.  Winter  tales  have  a  different  theme  and  spring  and 
summer  bring  their  own  delights. 

(For  timely  tales  see  "Out  of  Doors"  and  "Our  Ani- 
mal Friends,"  Volume  I.) 

Holidays  should  be  observed  in  every  group  of  chil- 
dren. (See  Volume  V  for  Christmas,  Easter,  Thanks- 
giving, Patriotic  songs.  For  holiday  stories  see  "Holi- 
days and  Festivals,"  Volume  I.) 

Home  and  neighborhood  activities  are  of  absorbing 
interest  in  the  lives  of  children.  Their  play  should  be 
largely  a  reproduction  of  these  activities.  They  share 
in  the  life  about  them  and  their  life  begins  in  sharing 
the  daily  experiences  of  the  home  and  its  environment. 
Play  is  a  child's  means  of  entering  into  life.  His  play 
world  is  a  miniature  world  reflecting  all  he  has  seen  and 
heard  and  enjoyed.  He  begins  to  understand  the  big 
world  by  reproducing  it  in  his  little  world. 

So  our  daily  programme  will  include  an  hour  devoted 
to  some  form  of  constructive  or  creative  work.  Kinder- 
garten plays  should  be  used.  There  should  be  a  doll- 
house  to  furnish.  Boys  as  well  as  girls  may  share  in  mak- 
ing the  furniture.  (See  Chapter  VIH  for  a  description 
of  a  doll-house.) 

When  the  doll-house  is  complete,  housekeeping  should 
begin.  There  should  be  dinner-parties  and  supper- 
parties.  Dolls'  clothes  should  be  washed  and  ironed  and 
hung  out  to  dry.  Through  play  little  girls  learn  how  to 

247 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

lay  a  table,  to  dust  the  room,  and  to  make  a  bed.  (See 
Chapter  VII.) 

Nature  excursions  should  be  made  when  the  weather 
permits,  and  seeds,  nuts,  burrs,  etc.,  collected  for  use  in 
the  play  school.  This  material  furnishes  most  valuable 
means  of  employment.  Directions  for  making  things 
may  be  found  in  Chapter  IX.  Occasionally  there  should 
be  a  building  period  to  satisfy  the  constructive  instinct. 
Kindergarten  blocks  may  be  secured  from  a  kinder- 
garten supply  store  or  a  near-by  carpenter  may  make 
bricks  4  by  2,  cubes  2  by  2,  some  half -cubes  for  roofs  and 
some  half-bricks  for  columns.   (See  Chapter  XV.) 

These  blocks  may  be  used  for  free  building.  Houses, 
churches,  and  stores  will  be  made.  Bridges  will  be  built 
and  towers  erected.  The  community  idea  will  be  sug- 
gested and  we  shall  have  a  village  or  a  town.  Streets 
will  be  laid  out.  Sticks  will  be  found  to  make  car-tracks; 
a  trolley-car  will  soon  be  running  through  the  town. 
(See  Chapter  IX.) 

A  Japanese  toy  or  a  picture  may  lead  to  the  making 
of  a  Japanese  scene.  The  story  of  our  Dutch  Twins  or  a 
pair  of  wooden  shoes  may  be  the  incentive  to  making  a 
Dutch  Village.  (See  Chapter  IX.)  The  children  see  how 
other  people  live  and  geography  begins. 

We  must  remember  the  little  artist  in  our  plan  of 
work.  Clay,  paint-boxes,  paper,  scissors,  pencils,  and 
paste  must  be  part  of  the  equipment  of  the  home  school. 
Many  suggestions  for  exercises  are  given  in  another  chap- 
ter. Drawing  gives  a  child  another  language  and  there 
should  be  ample  opportunity  for  the  use  of  pencil  and 
paper. 

248 


THE  NEIGHBORHOOD  GROUP 

The  stories  which  have  been  told  may  be  dramatized 
as  the  children  desire.  They  will  assign  the  parts  and 
take  the  roles.  (See  Chapter  XIV.)  Such  make-believe 
is  especially  desirable  as  a  social  enterprise.  It  brings 
one  group  together  and  shows  the  need  of  each  one  act- 
ing well  his  part.  To  teach  children  to  live  was  the  aim 
of  Rousseau's  scheme  of  education.  To  teach  children 
to  live  and  to  teach  them  to  hve  together  is  the  aim  of 
our  home  kindergarten. 


A 


XVII 
SUGGESTIVE  PROGRAMMES 

September 

OPENING  OF  THE  NEIGHBORHOOD  SCHOOL 

S  a  general  outline  to  follow  in  the  morning's  pro- 
gramme, the  following  is  a  basis  on  which  to  work, 
though  always  subject  to  change: 

A.M. 

9.00.  Hour  for  children  to  assemble. 
9.00  to    9.30.  Free  play. 
9.30  to  10.00.  Mornmg  Circle  talks  and  songs. 
10.00  to  10.30.  Lesson  with  Gifts  or  occupations. 
10.30  to  11.00.  Luncheon  and  free  play. 
11.00  to  11.30.  Games. 
11.30  to  12.00.  Hand-work. 
Noon.  Home. 

The  first  period  is  called  free  play  because  it  is  the 
time  when  the  children  come  together  fresh  in  the  spirit 
of  good-fellowship  to  see  each  other  and  to  see  what  is  in 
the  room  ready  for  their  use.  The  little  girls  are  at 
liberty  to  go  to  a  doll-house  in  the  corner  and  play 
house.  Some  one  wants  to  build  with  the  blocks  that 
are  ready  there  for  use.  There  is  a  blackboard  to  draw 
on;  there  are  crayons  and  paper  with  which  to  make 
pictures;  beads  or  buttons  to  be  strung;  and  toys  with 
which  the  boys  and  girls  may  play.  Free  choice  makes 
free  play. 

At  9.30  strains  of  music  tell  the  children  it  is  time  to 
250 


SUGGESTIVE  PROGRAMMES 

come  together  in  a  group  with  the  teacher  or  mother  and 
little  friends.  Quietly  hands  are  folded  and  with  bowed 
heads  the  children  give  thanks  to  their  Heavenly  Father. 
Preceding  the  prayer  the  following  verse  may  be  said: 

Now  before  my  prayer  is  said 
I  fold  my  hands  and  bow  my  head. 
I  try  to  think  to  whom  I  pray, 
I  try  to  mean  the  words  I  say. 

A  Prayer: 

And  now  before  we  work  to-day 
We'll  not  forget  to  pray  to  God, 
Who  kept  us  through  the  night 
And  brought  us  to  the  morning  light. 
Help  us.  Lord,  to  love  Thee  more 
Than  we  ever  loved  before; 
In  our  work  and  in  our  play 
Be  Thou  with  us  through  the  day. 

Amen. 

A  Monday  morning  Pledge: 

In  the  week  before  us 
In  our  work  and  play 
Let  us  all  be  loving. 
Working  every  day. 
Try  to  help  our  Mothers, 
With  the  hands  and  feet 
Make  the  week  a  glad  one 
Filled  with  service  sweet. 

Prayer  songs  may  be  found  in  Volume  V  of  this  series; 
also  Good-Morning  and  Greeting  songs.  These  are  sung 
with  action,  sometimes  going  about  shaking  hands  with 
each  other  and  sometimes  with  gestures  as  the  children 
are  seated  in  their  chairs. 

The  Morning  Circle  period  is  the  precious  half-hour 
251 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

of  the  morning  when  the  children  have  something  to 
tell  you  and  something  to  learn.  It  is  a  time  when  con- 
versation never  lags,  and  a  time  when  the  teacher  and 
children  give  and  take  of  each  other's  best  thoughts.  In 
the  first  weeks,  become  acquainted  with  the  children. 
Let  them  become  acquainted  with  you  and  feel  at  home 
in  the  group.  Try  to  encourage  cooperation  and  team 
play.  Now  is  your  opportunity  to  plan  necessary  regu- 
lations for  the  definite  hours  together. 

During  the  remaining  weeks  of  the  month  there  may 
be  conversation  on  experiences  common  to  all,  such  as: 

Where  the  children  live,  how  far  away. 

How  they  come  to  school. 

Their  families;  father,  mother,  brothers,  sisters,  and 
the  baby. 

Joy  found  in  their  home,  what  affection  they  re- 
ceive. 

Talks  on  the  children's  duties  and  of  their  helpfulness 
in  the  home. 

Introduction  of  the  fascinating  subject  of  their  pets 
and  their  family  life. 

Pets,  such  as  cats,  dogs,  rabbits,  birds,  goldfish,  etc. 

Use  pictures  to  illustrate  animal  families. 

Tell  the  children  how  animals  take  care  of  their  ba- 
bies. 

Tell  a  story  of  mother  love  in  the  animal  world. 

Find  out  from  the  children  what  animals  do  for  us. 

What  should  be  our  treatment  of  them.^^ 

Impress  upon  the  children  that  with  the  privilege 
of  having  pets  comes  the  care  and  responsibility  for 
them. 

252 


SUGGESTIVE  PROGRAMMES 

Songs  about  animals  (Volume  V) : 
"My  Rabbit." 
''The  Gray  Donkey." 
"Bossy  Cow." 
"Feeding  the  Chickens." 

Children  will  bring  in  wild  flowers,  such  as  the  purple 
asters  and  goldenrod,  barberries,  milkweed  pods,  or 
pretty  leaves.  The  season  has  much  of  interest  to  talk 
about,  and  whatever  the  child  brings  in  gives  an  oppor- 
tunity for  discussion  and  for  learning  about  nature  at 
first  hand. 

Songs  (Volume  V) : 
"Autumn  Leaves." 
"Aster." 
"Good-bye  to  the  Flowers." 

The  milkweed  pods  are  fascinating  to  children  and 
following  a  talk  about  their  contents  the  little  girls  es- 
pecially will  want  to  gather  many  of  them.  Suggest 
that  the  little  boys  help  gather  them,  too,  and  find  out 
what  the  little  girls  are  going  to  do  with  them. 

Repeat  the  following  verses: 

THE  MILKWEED  CASE 

"  Cover  and  case  close  locked  together. 
Filled  with  a  curious  kind  of  feather; 
Open  the  box  —  you  '11  need  no  key  — 

0  pretty  green  case,  did  you  grow  for  me?" 

"  'T  was  only  the  other  day  I  said 

1  must  make  my  dolly  a  feather  bed. 
And  here  is  the  softest,  fluffiest  stuff. 
Silky  and  white  and  plenty  enough." 

253 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

The  lesson  hour  is  the  time  suggested  when  the  Gifts, 
which  are  described  in  Chapter  XV,  are  introduced.  The 
ball,  a  child's  first  toy,  is  the  First  Gift  to  be  introduced 
to  the  children.  Ways  of  using  and  playing  with  the 
ball  are  described  in  Chapters  XIII  and  XV. 

Ask  the  children  to  find  other  things  in  the  room  that 
are  round. 

Another  day  put  a  square  box  or  a  cube  beside  the 
ball,  letting  the  children  talk  about  the  differences  be- 
tween these  two  forms. 

If  you  have  not  the  complete  Second  Gift,  an  empty 
round  tin  can  may  serve  as  the  roller  or  cylinder.  Ask 
the  children  to  name  articles  that  resemble  these  shapes. 

In  the  course  of  the  month  make  a  separate  lesson  of 
the  cube.  Talk  of  its  faces,  edges,  and  corners.  Com- 
pare it  with  other  forms.  Give  the  children  the  Third 
Gift  with  which  to  build. 

The  luncheon  period  may  be  one  of  much  commotion 
or  of  order  according  to  the  way  it  is  managed  by  the 
mother  or  teacher.  Have  a  definite  place  for  the  lunch- 
baskets  and  see  that  they  are  put  there.  As  the  hour 
approaches,  the  children's  work  is  put  away.  One  little 
friend  is  asked  to  be  the  lunch-bearer.  He  brings  the 
packages  one  by  one  giving  the  right  lunch  to  the  right 
child  as  is  designated  by  a  show  of  hands.  With  folded 
hands  and  bowed  head  a  short  verse  or  song  may  be  said 
or  sung  at  this  time.  Each  child  must  be  shown  the 
orderliness  of  spreading  a  paper  napkin  upon  the  table 
before  he  starts  to  eat.  As  a  child  finishes  his  lunch  he 
must  remember  that  there  are  crumbs  to  be  gathered  up 
and  a  lunch-basket  to  be  put  back  upon  the  shelf.  Then 

254 


TRANSFORMATION-CUTTING 


SUGGESTIVE  PROGRAMMES 

he  is  free  to  take  a  picture  book  to  look  at,  or  play  in  a 
sand  box  or  with  toys  until  all  the  children  have  finished 
their  lunches. 

The  game  period  is  the  time  for  gymnastics.  Simple 
movements  for  the  limbs  and  body  may  be  chosen  first, 
followed  by  different  ring  games.  x\s  the  children  learn 
them  they  will  soon  have  their  favorites,  and  it  will  be 
a  great  pleasure  to  be  given  the  privilege  of  choosing  the 
next  game.  This  period  will  be  a  good  time  to  give  folk- 
dances  or  to  get  ready  for  a  special  occasion  such  as 
preparation  for  the  May  dance  in  the  springtime.  If  the 
weather  is  fair,  this  hour  may  be  spent  in  taking  lunch- 
eon out  of  doors  followed  by  games  better  suited  to 
the  playground.  A  walk  may  be  taken  to  the  park  or 
to  the  yard  of  a  friend  who  has  some  interesting  pets  to 
watch. 

The  last  period  of  the  morning  is  devoted  to  occupa- 
tions, something  to  make  with  their  hands  and  which 
very  often  they  may  keep  and  take  home.  If  it  is  pos- 
sible to  relate  the  work  to  that  which  has  been  talked 
about  during  the  morning  or  previous  day,  it  means 
more  to  the  child.  Through  this  month  he  has  talked 
about  the  home,  pets,  flowers,  and  about  the  ball,  cube, 
and  cylinder.  He  has  learned  the  colors  and  is  delighted 
with  colored  crayons.  With  them  he  will  want  to  draw 
what  he  has  seen  —  his  house,  dog,  cat,  or  a  flower.  Use 
directions  for  working  in  crayons  which  are  given  in 
another  chapter. 

Large  wooden  beads  remind  the  children  of  balls,  and 
stringing  them  is  an  occupation  which  is  always  en- 
joyed. 

255 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

String  colored  paper  circles,  an  inch  in  diameter,  al- 
ternately with  inch  lengths  of  cut  straw.  These  repre- 
sent a  circular  face  of  a  ball  and  the  cylinder.  Square 
pieces  of  paper  may  be  used  also  in  combination  with 
the  circles  and  straws. 

Make  balls  with  wet  sand. 

Have  a  pattern  of  a  man  for  the  child  to  outline  on  a 
piece  of  construction  paper.  Above  him  on  the  card 
paste  irregularly  seven  small  circles  of  paper,  represent- 
ing the  seven  standard  colors.  Draw  a  line  down  from 
each  circle  so  the  lines  will  all  meet  in  the  hand  of  the 
man.  Here  we  have  made  a  picture  of  the  balloon  man. 
Let  the  child  take  this  home. 

At  another  time  give  the  first  instructions  in  paper- 
folding  using  the  book  fold  and  handkerchief  fold. 

Trees  seen  about  the  home  or  parks  may  have  been 
discussed  in  a  Morning  Circle,  therefore  introduce  a 
tearing  lesson.  From  a  piece  of  paper,  folded,  tear  out 
trees.   (See  description  of  the  work  in  Chapter  II.) 

At  the  closing  hour  a  good-bye  song  may  be  sung. 
Let  each  child  learn  to  help  himself  in  putting  on  his 
hat,  coat,  and  rubbers.  Let  him  learn  the  courtesy  of 
shaking  hands  with  his  teacher  and  of  saying  good-bye 
to  each  playmate. 

October 

"  A  place  for  everything  and  everything  in  its  place." 

The  child  is  now  becoming  acquainted  with  his  new 
environment;  he  is  falling  in  line  by  working  and  playing 
with  others.  Out  of  the  confusion  of  the  child's  thought 
as  to  what  to  do  next  comes  the  creating  of  an  orderly 

256 


SUGGESTIVE  PROGRAIVIMES 

mind.  It  is  therefore  a  great  opportunity  to  impress  defi- 
nite ideas  upon  him,  and  the  best  of  habits  will  be 
formed. 

Devote  a  morning  to  the  discussion  of  hanging  up 
hats  and  coats  in  a  proper  way  and  in  a  proper  place. 

Orderly  putting  away  of  playthings. 

Orderliness  in  their  homes  and  schoolroom. 

Talk  of  hands  and  feet  in  their  correct  positions. 

Marching  well;  carrying  chairs  properly. 

Handling  of  their  lunches. 

Care  of  their  own  possessions. 

Tell  a  story  which  applies  to  the  subject  under  dis- 
cussion. 

Play  a  game  emphasizing  order:  Let  a  child  go  out 
of  the  room.  Two  or  three  children  in  the  group  dis- 
arrange a  dozen  articles  in  the  room.  The  child  comes 
back  again  and  tries  to  find  out  what  is  wrong  in  the 
room  and  puts  everything  back  in  its  proper  place. 

Following  closely  upon  the  subject  of  order  is  the 
thought  of  time.  Robert  Burns  says, 

"Nae  man  can  tether  time  or  tide." 

There  is  so  much  to  be  learned  of  interest  about  the 
clock  that  a  week  can  well  be  spent  on  this  topic  with 
the  children.  The  following  points  may  be  discussed: 

The  clock  is  a  good  friend  to  all. 

Talk  about  its  uses. 

Emphasize  necessity  of  being  on  time. 

Father  goes  to  catch  a  train  by  the  clock. 

Mother  cooks  by  the  clock. 

There  must  be  a  certain  time  to  feed  the  baby. 
257 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

Time  to  go  to  church,  time  to  go  to  school. 
Telling  time.   (See  Volume  III  of  this  series.) 

Songs  (Volume  V) : 
"The  Clock.'' 
"Time  to  Rise." 
"The  Cuckoo  Clock." 

Gift  work: 

Build  tower  in  which  to  put  town  clock.  With  sticks 
and  rings  make  face  of  a  clock.  Use  lentils  to  make  face 
of  watch. 

Hand-work: 

Make  clocks  from  boxes.  (See  Chapter  XI  and  il- 
lustrations.) 

Games: 

Singing  game,  "Hickory,  Dickory,  Dock."  (See  Vol- 
ume V.) 

See  how  long  it  takes  to  walk  around  a  circle  putting 
one  foot  before  another. 

Through  pantomime  show  what  the  grandfather's 
clock  in  the  hall  does  by  swinging  arms  at  the  side  like 
the  big  pendulum.  The  mantelpiece  clock  pendulum  is 
imitated  by  swinging  the  forearm  from  the  elbow  a  little 
faster  than  was  done  for  the  big  clock.  For  Father's 
watch  there  should  be  a  very  quick  motion  with  the 
band  from  the  wrist  which  suggests  tick-tick-tick. 

Time  races  with  the  bean  bag.   (See  Chapter  XIII.) 

October  is  the  month  of  great  changes  in  Nature.  It 
is  the  month  when  many  of  our  animals  make  their 

258 


SUGGESTIVE  PROGRAIVMES 

final  preparations  for  their  long  winter's  rest.  It  is  not 
only  their  harvest-time,  but  ours  likewise.  It  is  a  time 
for  gathering  and  collecting  Nature's  bountiful  supply. 
We  want  the  children  to  know  and  appreciate  how 
closely  Nature  is  allied  to  our  lives. 

Subjects  for  thought  and  discussion: 

Passing  of  summer  and  coming  of  winter. 

Falling  leaves  and  bareness  of  twigs. 

Show  buds  on  twigs  explaining  there  will  be  another 
spring. 

Gathering  of  pretty  leaves. 

Collecting  of  different  kinds  of  seeds  and  nuts. 

Show  a  variety  of  seeds  and  pods. 

Scattering  of  seeds  and  nuts  by  wind  and  animals. 
Development  of  new  trees. 

Seeds  that  have  wings  and  feathery  attachments. 

Some  seeds  good  to  eat;  such  as  peas,  beans. 

Cocoa  bean  and  chocolate. 

Seeds  used  for  ornamentation. 

Seeds  from  grain  and  their  uses. 

Take  a  walk  to  gather  nuts. 

Different  uses  of  trees. 

Logging  and  Lumbering  (See  Volume  III.) 

Planting  bulbs  for  another  spring. 

Gardener  covering  bushes  with  dried  leaves. 

Birds  migrating  and  going  South. 

Empty  birds'  nests. 

What  happens  to  the  fish  in  the  sea,  the  insects  that 
fly,  and  the  ants  and  grasshoppers.? 

Talk  of  the  farmers  gathering  in  their  harvests. 
259 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

If  possible  have  samples  of  fruits  and  vegetables  to 
show  to  children. 

Mother  canning  fruit  and  vegetables. 

Mother  making  jelly. 

Frosty  nights  have  come. 

Why  do  the  children  button  up  their  coats? 

Mother  getting  out  heavier  clothing  and  bedding. 
Woolen  clothes. 

Where  does  wool  come  from?   (See  Volume  III.) 

Talk  about  everything  pertaining  to  keeping  warm. 
Heat  in  the  house. 

Blanketing  horses. 

Songs  (Volume  V) : 
"Jack  Frost." 

"The  North  Wind  Doth  Blow." 
"The  Seasons." 
"Baa,  Baa,  Black  Sheep." 

Story: 

THE  LAMENT  OF  THE  LEAF 

HIS  WISH  AND  THE  USE  TO  WHICH  HE  PUT  IT 

One  bright,  spring  morning  when  everything  was  fresh 
and  green,  a  poor  little  leaf,  with  a  feeble  shake  of  its 
head,  sighed  and  said,  "Why  is  it  that  I  am  so  sad  and 
lonely  when  all  the  leaves  are  dancing  about  on  the 
branches  playing  with  one  another?  Nobody  seems  to 
care  for  me  or  to  stop  to  play  with  me.  I  know  that  I  am 
not  as  pretty  as  some  of  the  leaves,  but  if  they  would 
only  come  to  see  me,  I  would  try  to  be  very  kind  and 
good  to  them.  How  I  wish  I  had  a  playmate!"  Such 
was  the  lament  of  the  leaf. 

260 


SUGGESTIVE  PROGRAMMES 

Let  me  tell  you  how  the  little  leaf  came  to  be  so  un- 
pleasant to  look  at. 

Early  that  spring  it  was  very  warm,  so  the  leaves 
thought  that  summer  was  coming  and  they  decided  to 
put  on  their  new  spring  dresses.  Jack  Frost,  however, 
was  hidden  not  far  off,  and  when  night  came  he  went 
around  pinching  all  the  little  leaves'  faces  which  sent 
shivers  down  their  backs,  so  that  they  all  caught  cold. 

Now,  near  this  leaf  that  I  am  telling  you  about  was  a 
dear  little  baby  leaf  whom  he  loved  very  much.  When 
the  leaf  saw  Jack  Frost  coming,  he  tenderly  wrapped  the 
baby  leaf  up  in  his  own  warm  coat.  Jack  Frost  came  and 
our  leaf  caught  such  a  cold  that  for  many  days  he  could 
not  go  out.  He  soon  grew  better,  but,  alas!  All  his 
bright  green  color  was  gone  and  his  body  was  withered. 

The  other  leaves,  even  the  one  he  had  so  tenderly 
cared  for,  did  not  play  with  him  after  this  because  he 
was  so  homely.  At  first  he  did  not  complain,  but  this 
day,  when  he  saw  the  other  leaves  having  such  a  good 
time  together,  he  wished  that  he  had  a  playmate.  The 
good  old  tree  heard  the  leaf's  wish  and  thought  to  him- 
self that  he  would  give  him  some  one  with  whom  he 
could  play. 

The  days  grew  warmer  and  warmer  until  finally  one 
day  the  leaf  looking  around  him  saw  a  beautiful  pink 
bud  which  soon  opened  to  a  wonderful  blossom.  The 
fragrance  was,  oh!  so  sweet! 

"What  a  charming  playmate,  but,  oh,  what  a  gor- 
geous dress!  I  shall  not  dare  ask  her  to  play  with  me." 
After  a  few  days  she  bowed  her  little  head  and  one  morn- 
ing the  pretty  dress  flew  away.  At  first  the  leaf  felt  very 

261 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

sad,  for  he  thought  he  was  alone  again,  but  in  a  few  days 
he  looked  in  the  same  spot  and  saw  by  his  side  a  little 
green  ball. 

"Oh!"  he  cried;  "my  little  playfellow  is  still  here 
and  she  has  come  to  staj^" 

Then  he  put  his  arms  around  the  little  ball  and  told 
her  how  glad  he  was  to  have  her.  Every  day  the  little 
leaf  cared  for  his  playmate,  and  when  night  came  he 
took  her  in  his  arms  and  watched  over  her  all  the  night. 

The  little  ball  grew  very  fast  until  at  last  the  leaf 
could  hold  her  no  longer.  When  the  days  grew  warmer 
the  leaf  fanned  his  playfellow's  cheeks,  shaded  her  from 
the  hot  sun,  and  spoke  kindly  to  her  when  she  was 
weary.  With  all  this  loving  care  the  little  ball  grew  very 
beautiful.  Her  cheeks  grew  so  round  and  rosy  that  every 
one  stopped  to  look  at  her. 

One  day,  in  the  fall,  a  poor  little  lame  girl  sat  down 
under  the  apple-tree  to  rest.  She  heard  the  leaves  rus- 
tling in  the  tree  overhead,  and  looking  up  saw  the  beau- 
tiful red  apple. 

"Oh!  how  I  wish  I  could  have  that  lovely  baU.  Oh, 
dear,  how  can  I  get  it?" 

Our  little  leaf  looked  down  into  her  poor  little  pinched 
face  and  thought: 

"Can  I  give  up  my  dear  little  playmate  to  this  poor 
child?  She  is  the  only  thing  that  I  have  to  care  for. 
How  can  I  give  her  up?" 

Then  he  said,  "When  I  was  lonely  this  dear  little 
playmate  came  to  me,  now  I  will  give  her  to  the  child 
because  she  seems  so  lonely  and  sad." 

He  tapped  his  playmate  upon  the  arm  and  down  fell 


SUGGESTIVE  PROGRAIVIMES 

the  ball  gently  into  the  child's  lap.  She  looked  up  very 
sweetly  to  the  leaf  and  said,  "Thank  you,  dear  leaf," 
and  she  went  home  smiling. 

The  little  leaf  was  very  sad  for  many  days,  except 
when  he  thought  of  how  happy  he  had  made  the  little 
girl.  Not  long  after  this  he  flew  down  to  the  ground  to 
help  make  a  nice  blanket  for  the  grass  so  that  it  would 
be  warm  when  winter  came.  Let  us  hope  he  passed  a 
very  happy  winter  under  the  snow,  for  surely  such  a 
good  little  leaf  ought  to  be  happy. 

Gift  work: 

Introduce  Fourth  Gift. 

Make  bird-houses. 

A  log  house  for  lumbermen. 

Furniture. 

Use  tablets,  sticks,  and  rings,  or  lentils  to  make  pic- 
tures of  bird-houses,  trees,  barns,  and  vegetables. 

Lentils  may  be  used  to  make  leaf  forms. 

Peg  boards  are  flat  pieces  of  wood  in  which  are  placed 
holes  at  regular  intervals  in  which  colored  sticks  or 
"pegs,"  as  they  are  called,  may  be  stuck.  Children 
enjoy  using  them,  making-believe  that  they  are  all  sorts 
of  things.  Sometimes  they  are  people  and  sometimes 
trees.  Make  a  fence  enclosure  around  the  edge  and  in- 
side the  field  put  trees  and  cows.  In  one  corner  a  few 
pegs  could  represent  a  barn. 

Games: 

Played  out  of  doors  in  a  pile  of  leaves  or  indoors  with 
an  imaginary  pile.  Act  out  the  words  of  the  verse, 

263 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

Like  a  leaf  or  a  feather 
In  windy,  windy  weather 
We'll  whirl  about, 
Twirl  about. 
And  all  sink  down  together. 

Squirrel  game.   (Chapter  XIII.) 

Folk-Dance,  "Rabbit  in  the  Hollow."   (Volume  V.) 

October  Pageant 

An  older  child  can  be  dressed  as  a  farmer  in  overalls 
and  broad-brimmed  hat.  He  is  making-believe  gather 
his  vegetables  for  the  winter.  Children  must  designate 
in  some  way  what  kind  of  vegetable  they  represent. 
Costumes  may  be  made  of  crepe  paper  or  cambric.  The 
simplest  way  is  to  have  a  large  shape  of  the  vegetable 
cut  out  and  colored.  Make  two  vegetables,  pinning  one 
on  the  front  of  the  child's  dress  and  one  on  the  back.  The 
familiar  vegetables  to  represent  would  be  potatoes,  tur- 
nips, pumpkins,  beets,  carrots,  and  watermelons.  Each 
vegetable  or  group  of  same  kind  of  vegetable  comes 
in  separately  performing  an  original  dance  or  making 
appropriate  gestures.  A  large  imitation  barn  or  store- 
house can  be  constructed  in  one  corner  of  the  room  into 
which  these  vegetables  finally  skip.  There  can  be  a 
group  of  children  representing  leaves.  They  come  whirl- 
ing about  in  their  autumn  colors  and  finally  fall  to  the 
ground.  Another  group  of  children  should  represent  a 
flock  of  birds  flying  away  to  the  South.  They  fly  in 
around  the  room,  group  together,  and  then  in  flock  fash- 
ion with  a  leader  fly  out  of  sight.  The  farmer  is  now  left 
alone  to  sit  down  and  rest  from  his  busy  days  of  summer 
toil. 

264 


CONVENTIONAL  DESIGN  FROM  THE  SIXTEEN  SQUARE 
FOLD 


SUGGESTIVE  PROGRAjVIMES 

Hand-work: 

Pressing  of  leaves  into  scrapbooks  for  preservation. 

Collecting  of  seeds  and  nuts. 

Making  seed  chains. 

Making  nature  toys.   (See  Chapter  IV.) 

Arranging  winged  seeds  in  decorative  forms  of  design. 

Begin  use  of  scissors  as  described  in  Chapter  II. 

Paper-folding: 

Barn-fold.  This  is  where  the  hay  is  stored  for  the 
horses  and  cows  to  eat  in  winter. 

With  heavier  construction  paper  fold  and  make  box 
to  hold  seeds. 

Make  a  toy  barnyard.    (See  Chapter  IX.) 

Paper-tearing  —  different  shapes  of  leaves. 

Clay.  Make  a  large  ball  and  then  mould  it  into  an  apple. 

Make  impressions  of  leaves  on  a  flat  piece  of  clay. 

Mould  a  bird. 

COLUMBUS  DAY,  OCTOBER  12 

Each  month  has,  beside  its  many  activities,  days  upon 
which  to  stop  and  reflect.  The  child  cannot  entirely 
grasp  the  meaning  of  historical  days.  Our  attitude,  how- 
ever, toward  a  holiday  makes  the  impression  which  for 
the  present  is  only  imitative,  but  later  develops  a  desire 
to  study  with  more  interest. 

Give  simple  descriptions  of  Columbus  sailing  across 
the  ocean,  discovering  the  new  country,  landing  and 
meeting  Indians,  and  returning  home  to  Queen  Isabella. 
Bring  out  his  characteristics  of  bravery  and  endurance. 

Sing  patriotic  songs. 

Dramatize  story  impromptu. 
2Q5 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

Gift  work: 

Make  a  boat  with  sticks  or  lentils. 

Paper-folding:  Fold  sailboat  as  described  in  Chapter  II. 

Paper-cutting:  Make  a  banner  similar  to  the  one 
Columbus  placed  on  America's  soil.  Fold  a  long,  narrow 
piece  of  white  paper  in  halves  making  a  double  banner. 
Cut  ends  in  wedge  shape  or  fringe  them.  Paste  the 
center  of  the  back  banner  on  the  upper  part  of  a  small 
stick  bringmg  the  fold  at  the  top  of  the  stick.  The 
front  banner  is  left  free  to  wave  back  and  forth.  In 
the  center  of  this  banner  paste  a  green  cross  made  in 
the  Grecian  form. 

Sand  box: 

The  sailing  of  Columbus  and  his  boats  can  be  illus- 
trated by  dividing  the  sand  into  the  Old  World  and  the 
New  World  with  the  Atlantic  Ocean  between.  The  Old- 
World  side  will  show  civilization  with  houses  and  people, 
while  America  wiU  be  filled  with  trees,  using  many  twigs 
and  a  few  Indians.  The  boats  may  be  moving  across 
while  the  children  retell  the  story. 

HALLOWEEN,  OCTOBER  31 

A  Time  for  fun  and  frolic  with  myths  and  supersti- 
tions of  the  pranks  played  by  fairies  and  elves  years  and 
years  ago. 

Talk  of  some  of  the  simple  Halloween  customs. 

Let  the  children  try  bobbing  for  apples. 

Tie  cookies  on  ends  of  pieces  of  string  which  are  hang- 
ing up.  Have  the  children  try  to  eat  them  with  hands 
behind  backs. 


SUGGESTIVE  PROGRAMMES 

Tell  story  fitting  the  occasion.  (See  Volume  I.) 
Make  a  Jack-o'-lantern:  Use  a  good-sized  pumpkin 
scraping  out  the  entire  center.  On  one  side  cut  out  eyes, 
nose,  and  mouth.  Place  a  lighted  candle  in  the  center  of 
it.  Now  darken  the  room  and  let  the  children  gather 
in  a  ring  dancing  around  the  Jack-o'-lantern  which  is 
placed  in  the  middle  of  floor.  To  the  tune  of  "Here 
we  go  round  the  Mulberry  Bush"  (Volume  V),  let  the 
children  sing: 

"This  is  our  Jack-o'-Lantern  man, 

Lantern  man,  Lantern  man; 

This  is  om-  Jack-o'-Lantern  man 

On  this  our  Halloween  day." 

Let  children  draw  a  Jack-o'-lantern  with  orange-col- 
ored crayon. 

Have  them  cut  one  out  on  folded  paper  letting  the 
crease  at  the  side  hold  the  two  sides  together;  when 
opened  it  will  stand  up.  This  will  make  a  good  place 
card  at  a  supper  party.  It  can  also  be  used  as  an  invi- 
tation card,  the  writing  being  found  inside. 

Make  a  witch  doll  of  a  lolly  pop.  With  the  candy  part 
down  dress  the  stick  first  with  stiff  white  paper,  then 
with  orange  crepe  paper  and  a  black  cape.  Put  a  marsh- 
mallow  on  top  of  the  stick  for  a  head,  marking  the  eyes, 
nose,  and  mouth  with  melted  chocolate.  Put  a  black 
pointed  hat  on  top  of  the  marshmallow  and  tie  it  under 
the  chin  with  black  streamers.  Roll  a  piece  of  wire  with 
black  paper.  Tie  some  fringed  paper  on  the  end,  making 
a  broom.  Attach  this  to  the  front  of  the  witch's  dress, 
She  should  stand  alone. 


267 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

November 

November  usually  finds  the  harvest  nearly  stored,  and 
as  we  turn  toward  the  approaching  winter  we  are  glad 
that  we  are  prepared  for  it.  The  animal  world,  too,  is 
getting  ready  for  it.  Nature  has  already  done  her  work, 
for  the  trees  and  plants  have  begun  their  long  winter's 
sleep.  The  days  are  growing  shorter  and  colder. 

Let  the  children  continue  their  talk  about  the  habits 
of  the  wild  animals. 

Animals  storing  their  food. 

Their  hibernation. 

Their  heavy  coats  of  fur. 

Our  care  of  domestic  animals  in  winter. 

Housing  of  hens,  cows,  and  horses. 

Warm  place  for  the  cat  and  dog. 

Emphasize  feeding  the  birds  who  stay  with  us. 

Study  of  the  squirrels  is  especially  interesting  to  the 
children. 

Talk  of  the  spider  who  wants  to  come  into  your 
kitchen  and  weave  a  web.  Show  or  tell  about  his  little 
legs  that  enable  him  to  crawl  so  lightly  on  his  slender 
thread. 

Take  up  the  subject  of  the  caterpillar.  Find  some 
cocoons  or  let  the  children  bring  you  some  which  they 
have  found.  Keep  them  in  moist  cotton  batting  and  put 
them  in  a  dark  place  through  the  winter.  Early  in  the 
spring  bring  them  out  into  the  warm  room  where  they 
may  be  watched.  The  children  will  be  delighted  to  see 
the  exquisite  butterflies  emerge  in  due  time  from  their 
little  houses.   What  better  example  could  one  have  to 

268 


SUGGESTIVE  PROGRAMMES 

show  the  children  faith  in  our  Heavenly  Father  who 
cares  for  even  the  smallest  of  His  creatures? 

Mother  is  busy  in  the  home  with  her  fall  work  of  ad- 
justing the  house  and  clothing  for  cold  weather.  She 
is  still  canning  and  preserving. 

Father  is  storing  supplies  of  all  kinds  for  his  family 
and  the  animals. 

Coal  and  wood  are  already  in  use. 

Explain  to  the  children  how  the  farmer  has  gathered 
his  corn  and  threshed  his  wheat.  Wheat  is  made  into 
flour  and  corn  into  meal  for  our  use.   (See  Volume  III.) 

Have  samples  of  wheat  and  corn  in  their  growing 
state.  A  coffee-mill  will  answer  the  purpose  of  illus- 
trating how  the  miller  grinds  the  corn.  Do  this  for  the 
children. 

Show  samples  of  corn  meal,  different  cereals,  and 
flour  as  we  buy  it. 

Discuss  the  many  ways  of  using  these  products. 

What  does  Mother  use  flour  for.'^ 

If  possible,  take  the  children  to  visit  a  bakery. 

If  your  school  is  accessible  to  a  kitchen,  take  the 
children  there  and  make  a  loaf  of  corn  bread.  Let  them 
watch  and  help  you  in  the  process  of  making  and  baking. 

Through  these  days  of  interesting  talks  bring  out  the 
thought  of  interdependence.  Show  the  relation  of  Na- 
ture, man,  and  God  in  all  things. 

Take,  for  example,  the  bread  which  children  eat.  An- 
alyze in  this  fashion,  if  possible  getting  answers  from 
the  children: 

Bread  is  made  from  flour. 

Flour  is  bought  from  the  storekeeper. 
269 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

He  gets  it  from  the  miller. 

The  miller  makes  flour  from  wheat. 

Wheat  is  raised  by  the  farmer. 

The  farmer  plants  the  seed. 

Seed  grows  because  of  good  soil,  sun,  and  rain. 

For  all  these  we  must  thank  our  Heavenly  Father. 

Children  should  give  thanks  to  all. 

Let  the  children  learn  these  verses: 

"Bread  from  flour. 
Flour  from  grain. 
Grain  from  sun. 
And  wind  and  rain. 
Which  our  Father  in  His  love 
Sends  his  children  from  above." 

Also: 

"  Back  of  the  loaf  is  the  snowy  flour. 
And  back  of  the  flour  the  mill, 
And  back  of  the  mill  is  the  w-heat  and  the  shower 
And  the  sun  and  the  Father's  will!" 

And: 

"God  sends  the  sun  and  rain 
To  ripen  all  the  grain, 
To  fill  the  trees  w^ith  fruit  so  good. 
That  we  may  never  lack  for  food." 

Another  subject  which  exemplifies  the  thought  of 
interdependence  is  the  butter  which  the  child  spreads 
on  his  bread.  Explain  to  him  how  the  butter  is  made 
from  milk. 

Milk  comes  from  the  cow. 

The  cow  must  be  cared  for  by  the  farmer;  therefore 
hay  must  be  cut,  made,  and  stored  for  the  cow  to  eat  in 
winter,  while  in  the  summer  the  farmer  must  give  her 
a  nice  pasture  full  of  green  grass  and  clover.    All  this 

270 


SUGGESTIVE  PROGRAMMES 

must  be  done  in  order  that  butter  can  be  served  at  our 
dinner  table. 

We  cannot  keep  our  houses  warm  if  we  have  no  coal. 
Explain  transportation,  mining,  and  the  life  of  the 
miner.    (See  Volume  III.) 

Talk  of  how  man  has  harnessed  Nature  to  his  work, 
such  as: 

Getting  power  from  Niagara  Falls  to  work  machinery. 

Irrigating  lands  for  agriculture. 

Use  of  electricity  discovered  in  the  air. 

The  aeroplane. 

Let  the  children  suggest  other  forms  of  interdepend- 
ence and  our  need  of  giving  thanks  for  all  that  comes 
to  us. 

THANKSGIVING 

Through  all  the  month  we  are  thinking  about  and  lead- 
ing up  to  the  great  festive  day  of  Thanksgiving.  This  is 
a  joyous  day  of  family  reunions  and  of  a  feast  of  good 
things  to  eat.  Before  a  child  can  understand  the  signifi- 
cance of  this  holiday  he  must  be  familiar  with  the  story 
of  the  "First  Thanksgiving  Day."  A  simple  narrative 
of  the  Pilgrims,  who  came  years  after  Columbus,  is  in- 
teresting to  the  children  whether  they  understand  it  all 
or  not.   Relate  especially: 

The  Pilgrims'  first  winter  on  Cape  Cod. 

Meeting  with  the  Indians. 

Pilgrims  showing  gratitude  for  their  first  harvest. 

Their  invitation  to  the  Indian  Chief  and  his  council 
to  share  the  First  Thanksgiving  Feast  with  them. 

Find  pictures  illustrating  these  events. 
271 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

Show  hospitality  to  those  who  come  to  visit  us. 

Subject  of  sharing  emphasized. 

Can  we  enjoy  our  hoUday  if  we  have  not  shared  with 
others  less  fortunate  than  ourselves? 

Plan  with  the  children  to  give  a  dinner  to  some  poor 
family. 

All  through  the  month  the  children  may  be  earning 
money  with  which  to  buy  materials  for  a  Thanksgiving 
dinner  for  some  poor  or  sick  friend.  It  would  be  inter- 
esting, if  possible,  to  let  the  children  go  to  the  stores, 
make  their  own  purchases,  and  carry  the  gifts  to  the 
person  for  whom  they  are  intended. 

Another  way  would  be  to  ask  the  children  to  bring, 
the  day  before  Thanksgiving,  whatever  they  choose  for 
the  baskets  —  groceries,  fruits,  vegetables,  or  perhaps 
a  fowl  or  turkey. 

Find  homes  where  clothing  is  needed  and  ask  the  chil- 
dren to  bring  garments  they  have  outgrown  or  discarded. 

Whatever  the  gift,  it  must  represent  love  and  work 
on  the  part  of  the  giver.  A  truly  thankful  heart  is  al- 
ways a  generous  giver. 

Tell  appropriate  stories.   (See  Volume  I.) 

Songs  (Volume  V) : 
"In  a  Hickory  Nut." 
"The  Baker." 
"Hymn  of  Thanks." 
"  Thanksgiving  Worries." 

Gift  lessons: 

Use  the  Fifth  and  Sixth  Gifts.   (See  Chapter  XV.) 
Build  barns,  storehouses,  and  mills. 

272 


SUGGESTIVE  PROGRAIVUVIES 

Build  farmhouse  and  buildings  described  in  Chap- 
ter XV. 

Use  transformation,  "  Going  to  see  Grandma." 

Make  a  long  table  for  the  Thanksgiving  dinner. 

Introduce  sticks,  rings,  and  lentils  to  set  the  table. 

Build  a  grocery  store  using  the  Second  Gift,  cylin- 
ders to  represent  barrels,  cubes  for  boxes. 

With  sticks  and  rings  make  Indian  wigwams,  bows 
and  arrows. 

Games: 

Use  finger  play  about  the  cow.   (See  Chapter  I.) 

Sense  of  touch:  Place  several  kinds  of  fruit  on  a  table. 
One  child  is  bUndfolded  and  after  feeling  of  the  fruit 
tells  what  kind  it  is. 

Sense  of  sight:  When  the  child  is  not  looking  remove 
one  kind  of  fruit  and  then  have  him  look  and  tell  what 
kind  is  missing. 

Sense  of  taste.   (See  Chapter  XII.) 

Playing  store:  Let  the  children  put  fruits  and  vegeta- 
bles made  of  clay  into  small  paper  boxes  which  they 
have  previously  made.  One  child  may  be  the  store- 
keeper, the  others  being  the  customers.  Money  may  be 
made  of  clay  or  paper. 

Playing  Thanksgiving  Celebration:  Let  the  children 
put  on  hats  and  make-believe  to  take  a  train  to  go  and 
see  Grandma.  Have  them  knock  at  some  other  door  of 
the  building  you  are  in.  It  is  opened  and  the  children 
find  Grandma  sitting  there  knitting.  She  greets  them 
warmly  and  asks  them  to  remove  their  hats.  Then  they 
gather  about  her  while  she  tells  them  stories.  She  may 

273 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

tell  a  story  about  the  Pilgrims,  or  what  she  did  on 
Thanksgiving  Day  when  she  was  a  little  girl.  She  may 
tell  animal  or  nature  stories  too.  Grandma  may  be  an 
older  child,  or  a  teacher,  or  even  somebody's  mother 
or  grandmother.  Children  sing  songs  to  her,  and  then 
light  refreshments  are  served.  This  should  be  played  at 
the  regular  lunch-hour  time.  Later  the  children  say 
good-bye  and  go  back  on  the  make-believe  train. 

Build  the  toy  village  of  the  Pilgrims  as  described  in 
Chapter  IX. 

Hand-work: 

Take  patterns  of  different  kinds  of  fruit;  let  the  chil- 
dren draw  around  these  on  colored  paper  using  the 
color  appropriate  to  each  fruit.  Cut  these  out  and  paste 
them  at  the  top  of  a  basket.  The  basket  is  drawn  on 
and  cut  out  from  wrapping-paper.  These  baskets  look 
attractive  pasted  on  the  window  panes  during  this 
holiday  week. 

Work  with  toothpicks  and  peas  making  forms 
adapted  to  this  month's  interests. 

Make  a  fruit  basket  of  green  or  brown  construction 
paper.  Fold  the  paper  double,  the  crease  coming  at  the 
bottom.  With  a  pattern  draw  a  basket  on  the  double 
paper.  Have  a  large  curved  handle.  Cut  it  out  and 
paste  the  handle  and  sides  together.  Make  separate 
pieces  of  fruit  and  stick  them  into  the  top  of  the  basket. 
(See  Chapter  XII.) 

Make  an  individual  dinner  place:  Cut  a  smooth  piece 
of  brown  wrapping-paper  about  8  x  10  inches.  With 
silver  paper  or  white  paper  painted  silver,  cut  out  fork, 

274 


SUGGESTIVE  PROGRAMMES 

knife,  spoon,  and  napkin  ring.  Cut  circles  of  different 
sizes;  one  for  a  plate,  a  saucer,  and  bread-and-butter 
plate.  With  crayons  or  paints,  color  on  the  plate  some 
meat  and  vegetables.  Paint  with  red  some  cranberry 
sauce  on  the  side  dish  and  bread  and  butter  on  the  small 
plate.  Paste  these  in  their  proper  places  on  the  brown 
paper.  The  napkin  with  silver  napkin  ring  should  be 
placed  at  the  left.  If  each  child  has  a  dinner  place  of  his 
own  before  him  the  group  will  look  as  if  they  were  hav- 
ing a  sumptuous  dinner. 

Put  five  grains  of  corn  at  each  place  and  let  the  chil- 
dren repeat  this  verse: 

"Here  by  our  plates,  as  we  see. 

Are  five  grains  of  corn  in  a  row. 
To  help  us  remember  the  Pilgrims 

Who  came  here  so  long  ago. 
Five  little  grains  of  corn  — 

I'm  sure  I've  heard  somebody  say 
It  is  all  they  had  for  their  dinner 

One  very  cold  winter's  day." 

Through  the  month  let  children  have  practice  with 
water-color  washes  so  that  when  Thanksgiving  week 
comes  you  can  choose  between  crayoning  and  painting 
when  decorating  some  of  the  hand-work  or  making 
paper  vegetables  and  fruits. 

Collect  pictures  of  the  harvest  and  Thanksgiving 
time  making  a  scrapbook  especially  for  this  season. 

Make  a  story-book  as  suggested  in  Chapter  X. 

Paper-folding  —  An  Indian  wigwam. 

Paper-tearing:  Find  pictures  of  fruits  in  advertise- 
ments which  are  good  representations.  Let  the  children 
tear  them  out  carefully  that  they  may  learn  the  correct 

275 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

outlines  of  the  fruits.  After  they  have  formed  a  fair  idea 
of  the  shapes,  give  the  children  plain  colored  paper  to 
tear  free-hand  the  same  fruits. 

Clay-modeling:  Make  birds'  nests. 

Make  basket  putting  fruits  or  vegetables  in  it. 

Different  foods  served  for  the  Thanksgiving  dinner 
may  be  imitated  in  clay  modeling,  such  as  the  turkey, 
bread,  pies,  etc.  This  work  not  only  gives  exercise  for 
the  fingers,  but  for  the  memory  as  well,  because  the 
child  will  try  to  reproduce  what  he  has  seen  his  mother 
make.  Paint  these  articles  with  water-colors  and  shellac 
them  as  instructed  in  Chapter  III.  Many  of  the  clay 
illustrations  will  give  ideas  of  subjects  to  try. 

Make  chains  of  corn,  squash-  or  apple-seeds.  Let  the 
children  wear  them  home. 

Make  a  Thanksgiving  pie.  Use  a  paper  plate  filled 
with  popcorn  and  covered  with  orange  or  light  brown 
tissue  paper.    (See  Chapter  XII.) 

Make  an  Indian  doll  of  corn  husks.  (See  Chapter 
IV.) 

December 

The  month  of  anticipation  and  expectation  for  the 
children  has  come.  The  grown-ups  also  enter  into  the 
spirit  of  preparing  joyful  surprises  for  their  loved  ones 
in  honor  of  that  Greatest  Gift  of  all  time,  the  Saviour  of 
the  world.  It  is  the  time  of  all  others  when  hearts  are 
attuned  to  one  another  and  are  warmed  toward  the  less 
fortunate.  Children  look  forward  to  Christmas  as  the 
happiest  festival  of  the  year  and  talk  about  it  and  plan 
for  it  weeks  beforehand. 

276 


.^^^^-. 

wm 


1 1.* 


r* 


CLAY-MODELING 


SUGGESTIVE  PROGRAIVIMES 

Look  out  of  the  windows  with  the  children  and  see 
what  Nature  is  doing.  The  trees  are  bare  and  brown 
save  one  kind  that  is  always  green  —  the  evergreen 
family  of  pines,  spruces,  hemlocks,  and  firs. 

What  winter  birds  are  here? 

Has  any  one  seen  a  squirrel  or  chipmunk? 

Perhaps  those  in  the  parks  are  tame  enough  to  take 
nuts  from  the  children's  hands. 

Watch  the  squirrels  eating  nuts. 

First  signs  of  ice.  Talk  about  what  the  children  would 
like  to  do  when  the  ice  is  strong  enough  to  hold  them. 
Put  some  water  in  a  pan  outside  the  window  that  the 
children  may  watch  the  congealing  process. 

What  did  Mother  put  over  you  to  keep  you  warm 
last  night? 

What  kind  of  blanket  was  spread  over  the  earth  last 
night? 

Let  the  children  tell  of  their  experience  coming  to 
school  in  the  first  snow  of  the  season. 

Talk  of  the  land  'way  up  in  the  North. 

Tell  of  the  Eskimo  children,  of  their  home  and  life. 
(See  Volume  I.) 

Another  holiday  is  coming.   What  is  it? 

Let  the  children  tell  all  they  can  remember  of  last 
Christmas. 

Learn  all  you  can  from  them  about  Santa  Glaus. 

Santa  Glaus  is  the  chief  figure  of  interest  during  this 
month.  His  activities  are  a  fascinating  subject  for  spec- 
ulation. Keep  him  mysterious.  Do  not  let  the  prosaic 
and  practical  enter  into  the  charming  mjrth.  In  mak- 
ing him  too  convincing  and  mundane  you  make  the 

277 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

inevitable  disillusionment  too  severe  and  endanger  your 
reputation  for  veracity. 

Santa  is  jolly,  good,  and  kind. 

He  has  reindeer,  a  sleigh,  and  pack  of  toys. 

He  may  come  down  the  chimney. 

Hang  up  the  stockings. 

Poem,  "  Hang  up  the  Baby's  Stocking." 

Let  the  children  write  letters  to  Santa  Claus  asking 
for  the  toys  they  want. 

Discuss  their  visit  to  the  Toy  Shop.    (See  Volume 

m.) 

If  possible  take  the  children  to  a  store. 

Poem,  "The  Night  before  Christmas." 

Stories  of  the  Christmas-tide.    (See  Volume  I.) 

We  give  presents  to  people  we  love. 

Let  us  play  we  are  Santa  Claus  and  we  '11  make  things 
for  other  people. 

Talk  over  with  the  children  plans  to  have  a  Christ- 
mas-tree. Let  us  make  it  a  surprise  for  our  mothers  and 
fathers.  We  will  make  trimmings  for  the  tree  and  gifts 
for  parents  which  will  be  hung  on  the  tree. 

Discuss  Christmas  gifts  showing  patterns  which  they 
will  use  later  when  the  hand-work  hour  comes. 

Emphasize  secrecy  in  the  work,  because  Santa  Claus 
works  that  way,  and  Mother  has  secrets,  too. 

Why  do  we  have  Christmas? 

WTiose  birthday  is  it.? 

We  like  to  celebrate  our  birthdays,  and  as  this  is  the 
greatest  birthday  of  the  year  the  whole  world  is  going  to 
enjoy  it. 

Tell  the  story  of  the  Christ  Child  from  the  Bible. 
278 


SUGGESTIVE  PROGRAMMES 

Talk  of  Mary,  his  mother;  of  the  shepherds,  stable, 
and  the  animals  there. 

Story  of  the  Wise  Men  and  the  Star. 

Choose  one  story  which  you  can  illustrate  on  the 
blackboard  by  drawing  the  picture  while  telling  the 
story.   Use  colored  chalk. 

Have  a  collection  of  pictures  of  the  Christ  Child  and 
Madonna. 

Jessie  Willcox  Smith  has  illustrated  both  aspects  of 
Christmas  and  her  pictures  are  always  appealing. 
Charming  illustrations  are  found  in  the  magazines. 

Songs: 

One  of  the  sweetest  things  about  the  Christmas  fes- 
tivities is  the  carols  and  songs.  The  old  English  custom 
of  placing  lighted  candles  in  the  windows  on  Christmas 
Eve,  while  a  group  of  carolers  sing  as  they  pass  through 
the  streets,  is  to  be  commended  for  the  cheer  and  happi- 
ness it  brings  to  many  in  a  busy  world.  Little  children 
may  not  be  able  to  be  the  singers  outside,  but  they  may 
listen  from  inside  the  home.  They  will  hear  many  songs 
and  carols  they  have  learned,  for  this  is  the  time  when 
old  and  young  sing  of  the  little  babe  who  lay  in  the 
manger. 

Teach  the  carols  to  the  children  while  they  are  young 
that  they  may  always  enjoy  them. 

Sing  these  songs  (Volume  V) : 

"  Winter  Song." 

"Snow  Song." 

"ToaSnowflake." 

"Christmas  Hymn." 

279 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

"  Santa's  Visit." 
*'  Christmas  Eve." 
"  Santa  Claus  So  Jolly." 
"  The  Christmas-tree." 

Gift  lessons: 

Through  the  month  use  all  the  blocks,  that  the  chil- 
dren may  freely  build  as  their  imagination  directs. 
Many  things  can  be  made  to  illustrate  the  Christmas 
Story  or  Santa  Claus. 

Chimneys,  fireplaces,  houses,  shops,  toys,  boxes. 

With  sticks,  rings,  lentils,  and  tablets  pictures  can  be 
made  of  trees,  the  Star,  the  Manger. 

Make  a  fireplace  with  tablets.  With  sticks  and  rings 
put  ornaments  on  the  mantel,  andirons  and  sticks  in  the 
fireplace,  and  last  of  all  the  stockings  hanging  in  a  row 
down  from  the  mantel. 

Games: 

Gymnastic  exercises  imitating  winter  sports  like  — 

Throwing  snowballs. 

Skating. 

Running  about  with  arms  in  air  and  fingers  moving 
like  snowflakes. 

Prancing  like  reindeer. 

Motions  like  mechanical  toys. 

Reaching  up  as  if  trimming  Christmas-tree. 

Play  Toyman's  Shop.  (See  Chapter  XIII;  see  also 
Volume  III.) 

Play  Santa  Claus.  Children  love  to  act  out  the  story 
of  Santa  Claus  coming  with  his  tiny  reindeer  and  sleigh 

280 


SUGGESTIVE  PROGRAMJVIES 

to  fill  the  stockings  beside  the  fireplace.  Have  them  all 
go  to  sleep  save  one,  who  takes  Santa's  part.  Bells  of  a 
pair  of  horse  reins  are  shaken  by  some  one  outside  the 
room  which  signifies  that  Santa  has  arrived  with  his 
sleigh  and  pack  of  toys.  On  tip-toe  Santa  enters  the 
room  where  the  sleeping  children  are  and  goes  to  a  make- 
believe  fireplace  where  he  places  some  toys  borrowed  for 
the  game.  He  goes  out  as  quietly  as  he  came.  Then  the 
children  play  waking  up  on  Christmas  morning  and  find- 
ing the  treasures  Santa  has  left. 

Out-of-door  game.  Make  a  snow  man.  Let  the  chil- 
dren help,  then  let  them  take  turns  hitting  first  his  head, 
then  his  arms,  and  then  his  body  until  he  is  all  gone. 
Let  children  take  turns  each  throwing  three  snowballs 
to  a  turn. 

Construct  an  Eskimo  village  as  described  in  Chapter 
IX.    (Read  "The  Eskimo  Twins,"  Volume  I.) 

Give  the  children  the  privilege  of  trimming  the  tree. 

Hand-icork: 

Let  the  children  express  freely  with  crayons  and 
water-colors  the  joyous  thoughts  that  are  teeming 
within  their  small  brains  at  this  time.  They  will  derive 
great  joy  and  benefit  from  such  creative  self-activity. 

The  combining  of  all  materials  with  which  the  chil- 
dren have  worked  up  to  this  time  gives  splendid  results. 
There  is  a  great  deal  to  be  accomplished  before  the  great 
celebration  in  the  schoolroom  when  Mother  and  Father 
come  to  visit. 

Christmas-tree  decorations.  See  Chapter  XH,  describ- 
ing: 

281 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

Paper  chains,  candy  chains. 

Stringing  popcorn  and  cranberries. 

Stringing  paper  circles,  cotton  batting,  and  straws 
alternately. 

Red  flowers.  Red  or  green  bells. 

Snowballs. 

Lanterns  —  Candy  bag  with  face  and  body  of  a  doll. 

Make  tissue  paper  excelsior  by  letting  the  children 
snip  long  pieces  of  white  tissue  paper. 

Candy  dolls.  The  dolls,  described  in  Chapter  XII, 
which  are  made  of  scrim  and  filled  with  candy,  should 
be  made  by  the  teacher  as  a  surprise  for  each  child. 

SUGGESTIONS  FOR  GIFTS  TO  BE  HUNG  ON  THE 
TREE 

Calendars.  Paste  calendars  on  the  lower  part  of  a 
card  cut  from  construction  paper.  Above  the  calendar 
children  may  do  different  kinds  of  hand- work  for  deco- 
ration. With  crayons  or  water-colors  a  landscape  may 
be  done  with  snow  on  the  ground  and  pine-trees  drawn 
here  and  there.  The  Star  of  Bethlehem  with  its  golden 
rays  would  be  an  appropriate  subject.  A  conventional 
border  of  holly  leaf  and  berry  is  simple  to  make. 

With  tearing  or  paper-cutting  the  children  can  deco- 
rate the  calendars  attractively.  Illustrations  suggesting 
a  winter  scene  of  snow,  trees,  and  a  rabbit  can  be  found 
in  Chapter  II. 

With  heavy  green  or  brown  card  made  of  construction 
paper  find  the  vertical  diameter  and  fold  each  side  to  the 
center  making  the  original  window  fold.  Now  open  and 
on  the  center  section  paste  a  calendar,  decorating  above 


SUGGESTIVE  PROGRAMMES 

it  or  about  it  as  desired.  Thus  the  calendar  is  folded  in 
and  yet  when  opened  will  stand  up  nicely  on  Father's 
desk  if  given  to  him.  The  outside  of  the  card  may  need  a 
bit  of  decoration  such  as  lines  of  color  and  spot  work  or 
holly  leaf  and  berries. 

Take  a  large  pattern  of  a  dog,  rabbit,  or  cat.  Cut  out 
of  construction  paper  and  touch  it  up  with  crayons  sug- 
gesting the  eyes,  nose,  mouth,  and  paws.  On  it  paste  a 
calendar. 

Blotters.  Cut  blotting-paper  into  desired  size  making 
three  or  four  pieces.  Cut  from  construction  paper  one 
piece  the  same  size.  Tie  these  all  together  at  one  side 
with  raffia  or  brass  fasteners.  On  this  construction 
paper  make  pictures  or  designs  as  has  been  suggested 
for  calendars. 

Desk-blotter.  Cut  heavy  cardboard  11x16  inches. 
Make  four  corners  for  it  of  light-weight  cardboard  or 
construction  paper.  Make  the  corners  about  a  three- 
inch  right  angle.  On  these  corners  let  the  children  make 
a  conventional  design  with  cra^^ons  or  paints.  A  few 
holes  may  be  punched  and  with  worsted  or  silkateen  a 
design  may  be  sewed  in.  Fold  the  right-angled  edges  of 
these  corners  over  the  corners  of  the  large  cardboard  and 
glue  down  leaving  the  slanting  side  free.  Now  slip  in  a 
piece  of  blotting-paper  the  size  of  the  large  cardboard. 

Match-scratcher.  On  a  piece  of  construction  paper 
work  out  a  landscape  either  with  crayons,  paint,  or  cut- 
ting paper.  Let  something  in  the  picture  be  made  of 
sandpaper.   For  example: 

I.  Cut  out  a  house  of  black  paper.  Cut  out  of  the 
house  two  windows  behind  which  paste  red  tissue  paper. 

«8S 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

Cut  out  black  trees  to  paste  beside  the  house.  Paste 
these  on  the  card.  Now  cut  out  of  sandpaper  the  shape 
of  the  slanting  roof  and  paste  it  on  top  of  the  roof.  With 
white  crayons  make  snow  on  the  ground  about  the 
house.  The  red  paper  gives  the  effect  of  light  in  the 
windows  and  the  sandpaper  roof  is  the  place  to  scratch 
matches. 

II.  Another  suggestion  is  a  seashore  view.  Use  cray- 
ons for  blue  water  and  sky.  Cut  a  piece  of  sandpaper 
and  paste  on  the  picture  for  the  sand.  Sitting  at  the 
edge  of  the  water  on  the  sand  place  two  little  children 
who  are  supposed  to  be  playing  in  the  sand.  From  pat- 
terns the  little  children  may  be  cut  out  and  pasted  on. 
Sunbonnet  babies  are  cunning  little  figures  to  place 
here. 

III.  Cut  out  a  good-sized  candlestick  which  has  been 
crayoned  first.  Paste  it  on  a  card.  The  candle  part 
should  be  a  long,  narrow  strip  of  sandpaper  the  top  of 
which  is  cut  pointed.  On  the  card  and  at  the  top  of  the 
candle  put  on  some  orange  crayon  to  represent  the 
flame.  These  should  have  a  loop  of  ribbon  at  the  top  of 
the  card  with  which  it  may  be  hung  up. 

Shaving-paper  case.  Cut  white  tissue  paper  into  a 
rectangular  shape  and  make  a  package  of  it  about  one 
half  inch  in  thickness.  Cut  two  pieces  of  construction 
paper  slightly  larger  than  the  size  of  the  tissue  paper. 
Let  one  be  the  back  of  the  package  of  tissue  paper  and 
the  other  piece  the  front.  Punch  two  holes  across  the 
top  through  the  entire  package  and  tie  with  raffia.  On 
the  outside  front  cover  let  the  child  decorate  with  cray- 
ons, paints,  or  cut-paper  designs. 

284 


SUGGESTIVE  PROGRAMMES 

Time-table  case.  Cut  a  piece  of  heavy  green  paper 
twice  the  width  of  a  time-table  and  an  inch  longer. 
Now  fold  the  green  paper  over  double.  At  each  end 
punch  holes  a  half-inch  apart  and  a  quarter  of  an  inch  in 
from  the  edge.  Let  the  child  sew  over  and  over  with 
worsted  or  raffia.  Now  one  side  is  to  be  decorated  with  a 
border  pattern  done  in  crayon  or  a  Christmas-tree 
drawn  in  at  opposite  ends.  The  case  may  hold  several 
time-tables. 

Pin-holder  case.  This  is  made  as  described  for  the 
time-table  case,  only  made  of  a  size  which  will  hold  a 
package  of  pins.  Turn  the  flap  of  the  package  of  pins 
back  so  that  the  rows  of  pins  can  be  seen. 

Napkin  ring.  From  a  paper  tubing,  which  may  come 
from  paper  towel  rolls  or  ribbon  rolls,  cut  from  an  inch 
to  an  inch  and  a  half  in  width.  Wrap  this  over  and  over 
with  raffia  and  fasten  the  end  securely. 

Shopping-bags.  Take  smooth,  heavy  brown  wrap- 
ping-paper sewing  over  and  over  around  the  three  edges, 
or,  if  a  long  piece  of  paper,  double  it  so  that  two  sides 
would  be  joined  together  with  raffia.  The  bag  when 
finished  should  be  about  twelve  inches  wide  and  fifteen 
inches  long.  If  the  paper  is  to  be  doubled,  you  will  need 
a  piece  thirty-four  inches  long.  At  the  top  fold  over,  in 
inch  folds,  two  inches  of  the  bag  to  make  it  firm.  On 
each  side  of  the  top  fasten  in  handles  made  of  several 
strands  of  raffia  braided. 

Paper-tearing: 

Let  the  children  tear  good-sized  Christmas-trees  that 
may  be  placed  in  border  fashion  around  the  room. 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

Tear  a  landscape,  pasting  it  on  a  card  mount.  An  ir- 
regular piece  of  white  paper  pasted  on  gray  background. 
This  shows  the  ground  is  covered  with  snow.  Tear  ever- 
green trees,  their  limbs  pointing  downward.  Paste  tbera 
here  and  there  or  in  clumps  on  the  snow.  Tear  out  a 
white  snowman  putting  him  in  the  foreground.  With 
crayons  put  in  his  eyes,  nose,  and  mouth;  also  buttons 
down  the  front  of  his  coat. 

Tearing  combined  with  cutting  gives  still  more  op- 
portunities.   (See  illustrations  in  Chapter  11.) 

Paper-folding: 

Fold  and  cut  snowflakes  as  described  in  Chapter  II. 
Sled. 

Transparency: 

Cut  a  large  star  out  of  the  center  of  a  piece  of  heavy 
black  or  brown  card.  Paste  over  the  place  where  it  was 
cut  out  some  yellow  tissue  paper.  Do  the  same  to  an- 
other piece  of  paper  the  same  size.  Now  paste  the  two 
together  so  that  the  pasting  will  come  inside.  This  is 
very  effective  hung  in  the  window. 

A  snowman  made  of  white  tissue  paper  is  pasted  on 
an  oblong  piece  of  white  tissue  paper.  This  is  bordered 
with  a  band  of  black  construction  paper  about  half  an 
inch  wide.  The  snowman  is  given  a  black  paper  hat. 
With  black  paint  put  in  his  features,  put  a  pipe  in  his 
mouth  and  buttons  down  his  coat.  This  may  be  pasted 
lightly  on  the  windowpane. 

A  red  fireplace  may  be  worked  out  into  an  interesting 
transparency. 

More  elaborate  transparencies  may  be  made  by  the 
^6 


SUGGESTIVE  PROGRAMMES 

teacher  which  the  children  will  enjoy  looking  at  when 
hung  in  the  windows.  Take  subjects  such  as  *'  The  Star 
of  Bethlehem  and  the  Wise  Men  traveUng  toward  it," 
and  "  Santa  Glaus  and  his  reindeer." 

Clay-modeling: 

Snowballs  —  Snowmen. 

Oranges;  paint  them. 

Sleds. 

Chimneys. 

Candlestick.  Paint  it  green  or  brown  and  shellac  it. 
When  dry  put  a  red  candle  in  the  socket. 

Make  an  ash-tray  for  Father.  (See  illustrations  of 
bowls.) 

As  is  done  at  Thanksgiving  time  so  now  plan  to 
make  Christmas  a  happy  day  for  somebody  else.  Sur- 
prise boxes  of  food  and  clothing  for  other  children 
should  be  arranged.  Make  the  most  of  this  beautiful 
season  and  bring  out  the  best  that  is  in  the  children  in- 
stead of  the  selfish  tendencies,  as  is  very  easy  when 
there  are  so  many  gifts  for  them.  Lead  them  to  think  of 
the  happiness  of  others  rather  than  their  own.  Only 
thus  can  they  realize  the  full  beauty  and  joy  of  the 
Christmas-tide. 

January 

The  New  Year  has  come.  Children  enter  into  the 
spirit  of  the  time  only  as  it  is  presented  to  them.  They 
will  follow  as  they  are  led;  therefore  show  them  that 
they  are  now  about  to  start  on  fresh  work  and  that  new 
duties  will  be  added.    They  will  review  some  of  their 

287 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

past  experiences  to  see  what  has  been  accomplished  and 
then  push  on  with  new  zeal  to  do  all  things  better  than 
they  have  ever  done  before.  Talk  of  the  new  month  and 
the  new  year.  As  we  say  "  Good-Morning,"  so  we  say 
we  wish  our  friends  a  "  Happy  New  Year  "  on  the  first 
day  of  January. 

The  Christmas  holidays  are  over  and  perhaps  your 
group  of  children  have  been  separated  for  a  few  days. 
Give  them  a  little  time,  therefore,  to  tell  of  their  happy 
vacation. 

Who  had  sleds  for  Christmas.''  Discuss  the  sport  of 
coasting. 

Did  Brother  have  skates.?  Talk  about  skating. 

January  suggests  snow  in  the  nature  world;  also  ice, 
and  that  under  the  ice  and  snow  everything  is  sleeping. 

Talk  of  the  snow  and  of  making  a  snowman. 

Shoveling  snow  and  snowplough. 

Frost  on  the  windows. 

Ice  and  ice-cutting. 

If  possible,  take  the  children  to  a  pond  where  ice- 
cutting  is  in  process.  Go  to  the  ice-house  and  let  them 
watch  the  ice  carried  by  machinery  from  the  pond,  up 
the  runway  and  into  the  house.  Let  them  see  how  the 
ice  is  packed  away  in  sawdust  where  it  will  not  melt  even 
through  the  summer.  The  carts  are  driven  to  this  house 
to  get  the  ice  which  is  delivered  at  our  back  doors. 

Ask  the  children  the  use  of  ice. 

We  need  it  to  keep  food  cold  in  hot  weather. 

It  keeps  Baby's  milk  cold. 

It  is  used  to  make  ice-cream. 

It  is  used  in  ice-bags  in  some  kinds  of  sickness. 
288 


If 

SNOWFLAKE  PAPER-CUTTIXG 


SUGGESTIVE  PROGRAIVIMES 

On  a  day  when  large  flakes  of  snow  are  falling,  exam- 
ine the  crystal  flakes  with  the  children.  Note  the  won- 
derful designs. 

At  this  time  of  the  year,  the  days  being  short,  children 
have  an  opportunity  to  see  darkness  come  on  before 
they  go  to  bed.  Full  of  wonder  and  curiosity  the  chil- 
dren are  naturally  attracted  to  the  heavens.  The  moon 
and  stars  are  unusually  clear  on  a  cold  and  frosty  night. 
This  is,  therefore,  an  opportune  time  to  discuss  with 
them  the  subject  of  light.    (See  Volume  III.) 

Who  has  seen  the  moon.'* 

Ask  Mother  to  look  at  it  with  you  to-night. 

Who  needs  the  light  of  the  moon.^  Sailors  at  sea. 
Doctors  going  out  to  see  sick  people  at  night. 

Talk  of  the  stars.   The  Great  Dipper. 

Tell  stories  about  them.    (See  Volumes  I  and  III.) 

Talk  of  the  sunlight.   Of  what  use  is  it.'* 

Discuss  lights  we  need  to  have  in  the  home  when  it  is 
night;  electricity,  gas,  lamps,  candles. 

Discuss  street  lights  given  us  by  the  town  in  which  we 
Uve. 

Other  things  that  have  to  be  lighted  at  night :  Electric 
car,  automobile,  train  with  its  red  and  green  signal  lights; 
also  steamers.  The  searchlights.  Light-houses  on  dan- 
gerous shores  to  light  the  path  for  boats.  (See  Volume 
III.) 

In  Nature  we  find  the  firefly  with  its  httle  lantern 
under  its  wings.    (See  poem.  Volume  I.) 

Symbolize  this  point  of  light  and  how  much  joy  it 
brings.  How  can  a  little  child  be  a  light.?  If  he  is  cheer- 
ful and  helpful  he  makes  everybody  about  him  happy. 

289 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

"  I  '11  be  a  little  sunbeam  true, 
A  tiny  ray  of  light, 
And  try  in  all  I  say  and  do 

To  make  the  world  more  bright." 

The  child  has  now  begun  to  realize  that  he  is  in  a  big 
world  in  which  there  is  a  great  deal  going  on.  He  has 
learned  of  the  dependence  of  each  one  upon  every  one 
else.  He  sees  the  relation  of  Nature  to  man,  of  man  to 
men,  and  of  all  to  God.  There  are  many  laboring  for  the 
child's  welfare  and  comfort;  he  must  appreciate  it  and 
act  accordingly.  Devote  some  time,  therefore,  to  em- 
phasize these  points : 

Respect  for  those  who  labor. 

Desire  to  labor. 

Value  of  time  in  labor. 

Alternation  of  work  and  play. 

Let  the  children  tell  of  the  different  ones  who  labor, 
such  as  the  carpenter,  plumber,  baker,  blacksmith, 
cobbler,  fisherman,  farmer,  postman.  All  these  men 
have  learned  a  trade  and  must  work  together  in  har- 
mony for  the  good  of  the  community.  Those  who  em- 
ploy them  must  respect  them  and  appreciate  their  need 
of  them.  Take  up  the  different  trades  from  time  to  time 
with  the  children. 

The  subject  of  the  blacksmith  and  his  work  is  always 
interesting  to  children,  for  it  shows  the  care  of  animals, 
especially  the  horse  which  is  beloved  by  mankind.  If  it 
is  possible,  visit  the  blacksmith  shop  with  your  children. 
(See  Volume  I.) 

Did  any  one  see  horses  slipping  on  the  icy  streets? 

What  do  we  wear  to  prevent  slipping? 
290 


SUGGESTIVE  PROGR^VIVIMES 

Rubbers  protect  us,  but  shoes  help  the  horses. 

Having  visited  the  shop  or  shown  a  detailed  picture 
of  one,  talk  over  what  was  seen,  such  as  the  iron  shoe, 
paring  of  hoof,  nails,  tools,  red-hot  fire  to  fix  the  shoes. 

Think  of  how  many  people  are  dependent  upon  black- 
smiths to  fix  their  horses'  shoes;  the  grocer,  milkman, 
farmer,  etc.  The  horse  is  a  friend  to  everybody. 

From  the  discussion  of  caring  for  the  horse  a  review 
on  care  of  our  pets  is  advisable  now.  In  some  way  each 
animal  is  of  use  to  us ;  the  cat  catches  our  mice,  the  dog 
watches  over  our  homes,  and  the  cow  gives  us  our  milk. 
Impress  upon  the  children  the  fact  that  these  dumb 
creatures  are  dependent  on  us  for  food  and  shelter.  He 
who  is  kind  to  his  beasts  has  a  heart  for  mankind. 

The  postman  is  an  interesting  friend.  Through  all 
kinds  of  weather  he  tramps  the  streets  delivering  mail. 
The  ring  of  the  postman  brings  every  child  to  the  door. 
Let  the  children  talk  about  their  postman  and  encourage 
them  to  give  him  a  cheery ''  Good-morning  "  greeting  and 
to  thank  him  for  letters. 

Let  the  children  repeat  this  verse  and  talk  about  it; 

"The  market  man  is  out  to-day 
Calling  for  orders  on  his  way 
We'll  order  things  kept  in  his  store 
One,  two,  three,  and  sometimes  more." 

Songs  (see  Volume  V) : 
*'The  Little  New  Year." 
"Twinkle,  Twinkle,  Little  Star." 
"Coasting." 

"When  the  Man  in  the  Moon  goes  Fishing." 
"Day  and  Night." 

291 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

"The  Song  of  Iron." 
"The  Little  Shoemaker." 
"The  Postman." 

Gift  Lessons: 

Make  ice-houses  with  the  blocks. 

Designs  of  snowflakes  with  sticks. 

With  blocks,  windows  out  of  which  you  can  look  to 
see  the  stars  and  the  moon. 

Pictures  of  windows  made  with  tablets  or  sticks. 

With  rings  make  the  moon  and  sun;  put  faces  in  with 
sticks. 

Stars  made  with  sticks. 

Stars  can  be  made  on  the  peg  boards. 

Make  lamp-post  with  sticks. 

Attach  letter-box  to  post. 

Make  picture  of  train  of  cars  with  sticks,  rings,  or 
lentils. 

Build  an  engine  with  blocks. 

Games: 

Exercises  imitating  things  talked  about. 

Snow  falling. 

Throwing  snowballs. 

Skating  —  sliding. 

Play  horses  are  walking,  trotting,  and  galloping. 

Swing  the  blacksmith's  tools. 

Puff  like  an  engine  while  scuflSng  with  the  feet. 

Railroad  train.  The  following  poem  may  be  acted 
by  seven  children  chosen  to  stand  in  line  to  represent 
each  kind  of  a  car.  Let  them  go  and  stand  in  place  as 

292 


SUGGESTIVE  PROGRAMMES 

they  are  called.  When  the  seven  are  joined  together, 
each  child  putting  his  hand  on  the  shoulders  of  the  one 
in  front,  they  imitate  the  going  of  the  train.  If  done 
with  the  piano  playing  they  continue  to  go  until  the 
music  slows  down  and  finally  stops,  the  children  imitat- 
ing. Let  another  group  of  seven  children  play  it  and  so 
on  until  all  in  the  circle  have  had  a  chance. 

THE  RAILROAD  TRAIN 

One  is  the  engine,  shining  and  fine. 

That  stands  at  the  head  of  the  cars  in  line. 

Two  is  the  baggage-car,  solid  and  strong. 
That  carries  the  trunks  and  suit-cases  along. 

Three's  the  express-car  with  strong  double  locks; 
Send  what  you  please  in  a  parcel  or  box. 

Four  is  the  mail-car,  open  to  all. 

That  carries  the  letters  for  great  and  for  small. 

Five  is  the  passenger-car  so  gay. 

That  carries  the  people  who  ride  by  day. 

Six  is  a  sleeping-car,  a  pleasant  sight. 
That  carries  the  people  who  ride  by  night. 

Seven 's  a  dining-car,  large  and  neat. 
That  carries  the  people  who  travel  and  eat. 

This  is  the  train  all  ready  to  go. 

That  works  for  all  of  the  world,  you  know. 

It  goes  as  fast  as  a  bird  with  wings. 

"Clear  the  track!  Clear  the  track!"  when  the  bell  rings. 

The  boy  who  is  the  engine  rings  the  bell  as  the  train 
goes  along. 

293 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

Singing  games  (see  Volume  V)  : 

"The  Galloping  Horses.'* 

"TheRocking-Horse." 

Choose  several  ring  games  during  the  month.  Com- 
petitive games  show  the  friendly  spirit  the  children 
should  have  developed  by  this  time.  (See  Chapter  XIII.) 

Hand-work: 

Let  the  children  draw  or  paint  freely  their  own  im- 
pressions gained  from  talking  about  snow,  sports,  cut- 
ting ice.  Let  them  illustrate  the  different  kinds  of  lights 
mentioned.  They  will  want  to  picture  what  they  saw 
on  their  visit  to  the  blacksmith  or  to  the  baker,  etc. 

Have  patterns  of  the  anvil,  hammer,  and  horseshoe 
which  the  children  may  outhne  and  cut  out. 

A  blacksmith's  shop  will  be  great  fun  for  the  children 
to  make.  Use  a  large  box  of  either  cardboard  or  wood. 
Make  a  fireplace  and  fittings  found  in  the  shop  the 
children  visited.  Among  the  toys  find  a  horse  and  a 
doll,  which  can  be  dressed  as  a  blacksmith,  to  be  placed 
in  the  shop. 

Copy  the  illustration  of  the  boy  rolling  a  big  snowball. 
Also  the  little  girl  with  her  sled.  These  pictures  include 
tearing  of  white  paper  for  the  ground  covered  with  snow 
and  the  cutting  out  of  figures  from  black  or  colored 
paper.  Paste  the  figures  on  a  heavy  paper  of  gray.  Fall- 
ing snow  is  illustrated  by  putting  dots  over  the  gray 
background  with  white  chalk. 

Make  night  scenes  with  crayons  and  again  try  them 
with  paints. 

An  attractive  night  scene  is  made  by  painting,  cutting, 
294 


STORIES  ILLUSTRATED  BY  PAPER-CUTTING 


SUGGESTIVE  PROGRAMMES 

or  by  having  a  row  of  city  buildings  silhouetted  in  black 
in  the  foreground.  The  yellow  moon  sails  in  a  dark 
blue  sky  above  and  a  few  yellow  stars  can  be  seen  here 
and  there. 

Make  the  rocking-horse  as  described  in  Chapter  XII. 

Make  a  doll's  sled,  electric  car,  and  an  engine  out  of 
boxes  and  spools.    (See  Chapter  XI.) 

Cut  out  stars  which  have  been  outlined  on  paper  from 
patterns.  Crayon  them  yellow.  With  piece  of  worsted, 
which  has  been  put  through  one  of  the  points  of  the 
star,  tie  it  on  the  child's  button-hole  when  he  goes 
home.  If  silver  or  gold  paper  is  obtainable,  cut  out  stars 
and  paste  on  cardboard. 

Make  the  paper  fold  of  a  window.  (See  Chapter  II.) 
In  the  center  section  draw  in  panes  of  glass.  Color  the 
panes  yellow  and  the  side  shutters  green.  This  gives  the 
eflFect  of  yellow  light  inside  the  house.  If  desired,  cut  out 
where  the  four  panes  of  glass  would  be,  leaving  a  frame- 
work of  paper.  Paste  yellow  tissue  paper  across  the  back. 

Fold  two  boxes  and  slip  one  inside  the  other.  Cut 
a  slit  on  one  side  as  in  a  mail-box.  Let  the  children  tear 
or  cut  small  pieces  of  paper,  make-believe  to  write  on 
them,  and  drop  them  into  the  mail-box. 

With  perforated  cards  let  the  children  sew  star  de 
signs  using  worsted  or  heavy  silkateen. 

Make  a  transparency  of  a  night  scene.  (See  Chapter 
XII.) 

Clay-modeling: 

Make  an  Eskimo  house  which  reviews  the  subject 
of  last  month. 

295 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

Make  cubes  representing  blocks  of  ice  coming  from 
the  pond. 

Balls  of  clay  represent  snowballs,  and  several  pressed 
together  will  make  a  snowman;  a  large  one  for  his  body, 
smaller  one  for  his  chest  and  shoulders,  and  a  small  one 
for  the  head.  Cover  toothpicks  with  clay  and  press  them 
into  the  sides.   These  represent  the  arms. 

Mould  a  lamp-post. 

February 

The  short  month  of  February  brings  with  it  several 
holidays  which  give  not  only  pleasure,  but  a  chance  to 
show  one's  patriotism.  We  cannot  begin  too  soon  to 
teach  children  the  true  significance  of  loyalty  and  patri- 
otism. In  order  to  inspire  them  with  the  right  spirit  we 
should  acquaint  them  with  our  country's  heroes.  The 
child's  mind  can  be  reached  easily  through  showing  him 
an  example  near  at  hand  and  through  admiration  for 
the  spirit  of  loyalty  and  altruism  shown  in  the  hero's 
life.  The  unselfish  devotion  to  duty  of  our  firemen  and 
policemen  is  an  excellent  concrete  example  within  the 
child's  experience. 

Who  helped  you  across  the  street  to  school  .f* 

Who  looks  after  your  house  in  the  night  when  you  are 
asleep.'^ 

Who  catches  people  who  are  not  doing  right? 

Policemen  are  strong  and  brave. 

People  must  respect  and  obey  them,  for  they  stand 
for  law  and  order. 

The  firemen  are  brave,  strong,  and  fearless.  They  dare 
to  risk  their  lives  to  save  other  lives  and  to  save  property. 


SUGGESTIVE  PROGRAMMES 

We  have  very  brave  and  strong  men  who  are  looking 
after  the  whole  country. 

There  is  a  man,  called  the  President,  who  is  at  the 
head  of  the  Government  of  the  United  States.  He  must 
be  wise,  good,  and  true  to  the  right. 

Such  a  man  was  Abraham  Lincoln,  one  of  our  Presi- 
dents who  lived  years  ago.  Because  he  was  very  brave 
and  stood  for  the  right,  every  one  learned  to  love  him. 
Even  though  he  is  not  living  now  we  want  to  show  him 
special  tribute,  so  we  celebrate  his  birthday,  which  is 
February  12. 

Give  brief  anecdotes  of  Lincoln's  life  and  bring  out 
the  underlying  spirit  which  dominated  his  career,  that 
all  peoples  should  be  free.  Every  one  should  respect 
every  one  else  because  we  have  found  out  individual 
rights  and  yet  all  are  dependent  on  one  another. 

Have  pictures  of  Abraham  Lincoln,  and  such  others, 
illustrating  incidents  in  his  life,  as  would  interest  the 
children.  (See  Volume  III  for  illustration  of  Lincoln's 
log  cabin.) 

Another  birthday  is  at  hand,  that  of  our  first  great 
President,  George  Washington,  which  comes  on  Feb- 
ruary 22.  He,  too,  was  a  strong,  brave  man  who  be- 
lieved in  truth  and  honesty.  It  was  he  who  formed  this 
country  into  a  law-abiding,  peaceful  nation  and  to  him 
has  been  given  the  title  of  "The  Father  of  his  Country." 

Tell  anecdotes  of  his  life. 

Tell  of  his  interest  in  having  a  national  flag. 

Tell  the  story  of  Betsy  Ross  who  made  the  first  flag 
for  the  United  States. 

Teach  the  salute  and  pledge  of  allegiance  to  the  Flag. 
297 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

"I  pledge  allegiance  to  my  flag,  and  to  the  Republic 
for  which  it  stands;  one  nation  indivisible  with  liberty 
and  justice  for  all."  Right  hand  held  at  forehead  until 
the  words  "for  all,"  when  arm  is  stretched  forward 
toward  the  flag. 

Another  pledge  of  allegiance,  in  poetry,  is: 

"  My  country  is  America, 
My  flag  red,  white,  and  blue, 
And  to  the  land  of  Washington 
I  ever  will  be  true. 
So  wave  the  flags  and  wave  again, 
And  give  three  loud  'Hurrahs' 
For  this  our  loved  America 
And  for  the  Stripes  and  Stars." 

A  very  little  child  could  repeat : 

"I  love  the  name  of  Washington, 
I  love  my  coimtry  too; 
I  love  the  Flag,  the  dear  old  Flag, 
Of  red  and  white  and  blue." 

The  significance  of  the  three  colors  should  be  taught: 

Red  says,  "Be  brave." 
White  says,  "Be  pure." 
Blue  says,  "Be  true." 

(See  "Our  Flag,"  Volume  I.) 


OUR  FLAG  COLORS 

I  know  three  little  sisters, 
I  think  you  know  them  too; 
For  one  is  red  and  one  is  white 
And  the  other  one  is  blue. 
Hurrah  for  these  three  sisters!  '' 

Hurrah  for  the  red,  white,  and  blue! 
Hurrah  [said  five  times]  for  the  red,  white,  and  blue! 
298 


SUGGESTIVE  PROGRAMMES 

"I  know  three  little  lessons. 
These  little  sisters  tell. 
The  first  is  Love,  then  Purity, 
And  Truth  we  love  so  well. 
Hurrah  for  these  three  lessons! 
Hurrah  for  the  red,  white,  and  blue! 
Hurrah  [said  five  times]  for  the  red,  white,  and  blue!" 

Three  little  girls  may  be  dressed  in  red,  white,  and  blue 
respectively  and  as  their  names  are  called  they  come  to 
the  group  of  children  and  make  a  curtsy. 

There  have  always  been  heroes  in  every  country  who 
were  brave  and  true.  In  the  olden  days  these  heroes 
were  often  called  knights. 

Tell  stories  of  the  heroes  and  knights  of  old.  (See  Vol- 
ume IV  of  The  Children's  Hour.) 

Exemplify  the  qualities  of  character  for  which  the 
knights  or  heroes  stood;  purity,  honesty,  bravery.  Let 
each  child  realize  his  own  ability  to  attain  these  attri- 
butes. 

He  must  learn  obedience. 

Respect  the  rights  of  others. 

Always  be  ready  to  do  a  service  for  some  one. 

Learn  the  right  use  of  time. 

Cooperation  in  community  spirit. 

Use  of  liberty  as  long  as  it  is  law-abiding. 

Talk  of  the  Girl  and  Boy  Scout. 

Martin  Luther  says,  "The  richest  prosperity  of  the 
State  is  the  production  of  honorable  citizens." 

It  is  only  through  early  guidance  that  the  right  prin- 
ciples of  conduct  are  instilled;  therefore  great  stress 
should  be  placed  upon  these  qualities  during  the  month 
of  February  when  two  such  knightly  men  as  Lincoln 

299 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

and  Washington  can  be  given  as  examples  to  the 
children. 

There  are  brave  and  heroic  women.  Tell  stories  of 
Joan  of  Arc  and  others. 

Refer  to  Florence  Nightingale,  Clara  Barton,  Edith 
Cavell,  and  the  brave  nurses  of  the  world  wars. 

Children  can  be  brave,  too.  Give  examples,  if  pos- 
sible, of  heroism  among  their  own  friends  or  instances 
in  the  town  or  city  near  by.  Brave  children  will  make 
brave  men. 

Let  children  tell  of  their  fathers  or  uncles  who  may 
have  served  in  France  during  the  recent  war. 

Carefully  chosen  pictures  will  make  a  great  impres- 
sion.  Show  pictures  of  knights  in  armor. 

Valentine's  Day 

February  14  has  been  held  as  a  festive  day  for  many 
generations,  the  origin  of  which  dates  back  many  years. 
Saint  Valentine  was  distinguished  for  his  loving  and 
charitable  acts,  and  whatever  the  origin  of  the  day,  we 
may  give  him  these  attributes  which  we  like  to  commem- 
orate on  this  date.  Impress  upon  the  children  that  it  is 
a  day  of  sweet  thoughts  of  our  friends  and  of  the  desire 
to  send  them  loving  messages.  It  is  the  custom  to  send 
these  missives  without  signature,  so  one  is  left  to  guess 
who  the  sender  is.  With  the  little  children  great  pleas- 
ure is  gained  by  making  the  valentines;  therefore,  some 
time  beforehand  must  be  given  to  the  occupation.  A 
festive  hour  during  school-time  may  be  arranged  to 
receive  the  mysterious  envelopes. 


300 


SUGGESTIVE  PROGRAMMES 

Songs  for  the  month  (see  Volume  V) : 
"Lincoln." 
*' Washington  Song." 
"Flag  of  our  Country." 
"America." 
"The  Postman." 
"Saint  Valentine's  Day." 

Gift  lessons: 

Building  with  blocks:  Monuments  to  the  memory  of 
special  heroes.  Barracks  where  soldiers  live  when  in 
service.  Trenches. 

Arrange  sticks  to  make  an  outline  of  the  log  cabin 
where  Lincoln  was  born. 

With  colored  sticks  make  the  United  States  flag. 

Make  rows  of  tents. 

With  toothpicks  and  peas  make  aeroplane  and  gun- 
boat, flag.    (See  illustrations  in  Chapter  IV.) 

Games: 

Sijiging  game.  "Soldier  boy,  Soldier  boy."  (See 
Volume  V.) 

Knight  game.  (Read  the  "  Search  for  a  Good  Child," 
Volume  IV.)  One  child  is  chosen  to  be  the  knight  who 
goes  off  in  his  castle  to  live,  which  may  be  in  the  corner 
of  the  room  or  just  outside  the  door.  The  knight  comes 
galloping  in  to  the  center  of  the  circle  and  asks  the 
teacher  or  mother  if  she  has  a  good  child  who  would 
like  to  go  to  ride  with  him  to-day.  He  says  he  wants 
only  a  good  child  who  has  done  a  kind  service  for  some 
one.  The  mother  looks  around  over  the  group  and  says, 

301 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

"John  has  been  good  to-day;  he  helped  bring  in  the 
wood  for  the  stove.  Yes,  he  may  go  to  ride  to-day." 
OS  John  goes  galloping  with  the  knight  around  the  room 
or  out  to  another  room.  Immediately  there  come  from 
the  other  children  tales  of  the  kind  deeds  they  have  done 
and  they  ask  for  the  next  ride.  Perhaps  one  child  has 
been  disturbing  another.  When  the  knight  comes  back. 
Mother  has  to  say,  "Frank  cannot  go  to-day  because 
he  was  not  thoughtful."  The  children  are  quiet  for  a 
moment,  which  casts  a  shadow  on  the  game  as  well  as 
sends  a  lesson  home  to  Frank.  Now  the  game  proceeds, 
and  both  boys  and  girls  have  turns  in  telling  a  good  deed 
they  have  done  to  make  them  deserving  of  a  ride  with 
the  knight. 

Exercises  may  be  of  military  form: 

Raising  and  saluting  the  jflag. 

Saluting  officers. 

Drill  marches. 

Galloping  of  cavalry  horses. 

Bugle  calls  and  beating  of  drums. 

Valentine  game.  Let  the  teacher  prepare  one  valentine 
apiece  for  her  children.  One  child  is  chosen  to  begin  the 
game  by  taking  a  valentine  from  the  teacher  and  running 
around  the  outside  of  the  circle  dropping  the  envelope 
where  he  chooses.  Play  as  in  the  game  "Drop  the  hand- 
kerchief"; the  one  receiving  it  must  pick  it  up  and  run 
around  the  circle  after  the  postman  who  dropped  it,  who 
by  this  time  has  reached  his  place  in  the  circle.  The  next 
child  is  given  another  envelope  by  the  teacher,  and  the 
game  continues  imtil  each  one  has  received  a  valentine. 

302 


wipr>. 


PAPER-CUTTING  AND  PASTING 


SUGGESTIVE  PROGRAMMES 

Hand-work: 

Let  children  draw  on  paper  a  picture  which  will  illus- 
trate something  they  remember  of  the  stories  told  of 
Lincoln  or  Washington. 

Plant  grass-seed  in  a  saucer  of  dirt  a  week  before  the 
22d.  Plant  the  seed  in  little  rows  to  make  the  shape  of  a 
W.  When  it  comes  up  the  green  lines  of  grass  will  be 
very  attractive  and  will  stand  for  Washington's  name. 

Refer  to  Chapter  XII:  Choose  a  pattern  to  make  a 
soldier  cap.  Make  a  different  badge  for  celebration  of 
the  12th  and  22d. 

Make  a  flag.  Mark  off  with  pencil  half-inch  distances 
on  piece  of  oblong  paper  leaving  a  square  in  left-hand 
corner.  Let  children  crayon  in  the  stripes  and  make 
stars  in  the  corner.   Paste  this  on  a  stick  or  slat. 

L:ig  cabin.  Cut  and  fold  a  house  the  same  as  for  a  toy 
village  (see  Chapter  IX).  Keep  the  house  plain  making 
a  door  at  one  end  and  pasting  a  chimney  on  the  other 
end  which  starts  from  the  ground  on  the  outside.  Cut 
out  small  square  windows  on  the  sides.  With  crayons 
mark  off  the  house  with  brown,  horizontal  lines  to  make 
them  resemble  logs. 

Soldier's  camp-ground.  Follow  directions  in  Chapter 
XII. 

Valentines.  Several  ways  are  suggested  in  Chapter  XII. 

Paper-folding: 

Soldier  cap.  Drinking-cup. 

Picture  frame  for  either  Lincoln's  or  Washington's 
picture.   Follow  directions  as  given  in  Chapter  II. 

Fold  a  boat. 

303 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

Sand  table: 

Illustrate  the  story  of  Washington  crossing  the  Del- 
aware. 

Clay-modeling: 

Give  children  free  play  to  make  what  would  be  sug- 
gested to  them  from  stories  told  at  this  time.  They 
may  think  of  guns,  soldier  hat,  or  a  fort. 

March 

Having  woven  loyalty  and  patriotism  into  the  thoughts 
of  the  children,  let  the  next  few  weeks  be  devoted  to  a 
civic  programme.  Find  out  in  discussion  just  what  our 
country,  and  especially  our  city,  is  doing  for  us. 

All  the  fathers  are  paying  money  (taxes)  to  help  the 
city  take  care  of  the  people  who  live  in  it. 

Discuss  the  physical  welfare  of  the  people  of  which 
the  city  takes  care. 

Policemen  guard  property  and  see  that  law  is  kept. 
Discuss  punishments  by  law  if  one  does  not  do  right 
by  other  people's  property.  Speak  of  stealing,  damag- 
ing things,  and  throwing  stones. 

Firemen  come  when  the  house  has  caught  fire. 

Men  are  employed  to  shovel  snow  from  the  side- 
walks. 

Streets  are  cleaned  and  sprinkled. 

Ashes,  paper,  and  garbage  are  taken  away. 

There  are  lights  on  the  street  at  night. 

The  United  States  employs  postmen  to  bring  the 
mail  to  the  homes. 

There  are  public  parks  with  beautiful  trees  and  flowers. 
304 


SUGGESTIVE  PROGRAMMES 

There  are  fountains  for  beauty,  and  drinking-foun- 
tains. 

There  are  playgrounds  with  all  kinds  of  amusements, 
and  in  winter  the  ground  is  flooded  for  skating. 

There  is  a  gymnasium  with  a  swimming-pool. 

In  summer  there  are  pubhc  baths  if  the  city  is  near 
a  lake  or  an  ocean. 

There  are  hospitals  with  clinics  free  to  all,  supervised 
by  splendid  physicians  and  nurses.  It  is  a  nice  place  to 
go  because  there  is  such  good  care  given  to  any  one  who 
is  sick.  Emphasize  this  because  so  many  children  have 
fear  of  hospitals. 

For  the  mental  welfare  of  citizens  there  are: 

Public  schools,  night  schools,  vocational  schools. 

Libraries  and  free  story- telling  hours.   Lectures. 

Museums,  aquariums,  and  zoos. 

Community  entertainments:  singing,  band  concerts, 
supervised  moving-picture  shows. 

Show  postcards  of  public  buildings. 

The  month  of  March  brings  a  strong,  cold  wind.  It 
is  at  work  with  all  its  might  drying  up  the  snow  and  ice 
and  is  refreshing  the  earth,  preparing  for  spring. 

Let  us  see  what  it  does: 

It  dries  up  the  mud. 

It  blows  the  dead  twigs. 

It  turns  the  windmills  and  weather  vanes. 

It  blows  the  kites  into  the  sky.  It  will  take  your 
balloon  if  you  do  not  hold  it  tightly. 

Feel  its  strength  when  it  pushes  you  down  the  street. 

It  dries  the  clean  clothes  upon  the  line. 

We  can  hear  it  as  it  howls  among  the  trees  and  around 
305 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

the  corners  of  houses,  but  we  cannot  see  it  or  grasp  it. 
The  child  who  is  led  to  realize  its  great  unseen  power, 
appreciates  its  true  value,  and  is  interested  through  the 
long  month  of  March  with  its  strong  winds. 

Show  pictures  of  the  weather  vane  and  windmill. 
Who  has  a  weather  vane  on  the  barn  at  homcf^ 

Take  a  walk  letting  the  children  carry  pinwheels 
which  they  have  made.  See  what  happens  when  the 
wind  strikes  the  pinwheels. 

Point  out  everything  blowing;  the  bare  tree  branches, 
a  flag,  clothes  in  a  back  yard.  Find  a  weather  vane. 

Tell  stories  about  the  wind. 

Liken  the  boys  and  girls  to  winds.  Make  a  moral  les- 
son of  the  contrasting  winds.  Some  one  once  wrote  that 
"Some  boys  and  girls  are  selfish  and  thoughtless  of  the 
happiness  of  others.  Like  the  cyclone,  wherever  they 
go  they  destroy  happiness;  their  frowns  and  cross  words 
drive  away  smiles  and  fill  every  one's  heart  with  sorrow. 
There  are  other  boys  and  girls  who  affect  you  just  like 
the  ocean  breeze  on  a  hot  day.  They  bring  faces  that 
are  covered  with  smiles,  voices  that  bubble  over  with 
laughter,  and  a  good  time  for  every  one."  To  which 
wind  will  you  belong? 

Besides  the  wind  there  are  other  unseen  powers  at 
work,  such  as  heat  and  cold.  We  can  see  what  is  accom- 
plished, but  not  the  power. 

The  sun  is  beginning  to  melt  the  snow.  Jack  Frost 
will  soon  disappear.  Bring  into  the  room  a  bit  of  frozen 
earth.  Watch  the  moisture  appear  and  then  explain 
that  it  is  the  frost  melting  to  water.  Soon  the  sun's  rays 
evaporate  the  water  and  the  earth  has  become  dry. 

306 


SUGGESTIVE  PROGRAMMES 

Explain  to  the  children  that  this  process  is  what  the 
farmer  is  waiting  for  the  earth  to  go  through  before  he 
can  plant  his  seeds. 

Fire  also  makes  heat.  For  this  reason  we  have  fire  in 
stoves  to  cook  our  food. 

Cold  gives  us  ice.  Review  what  has  been  said  before 
about  its  uses.  As  ice  comes  near  heat,  it  melts  and  be- 
comes water. 

Talk  about  different  forms  of  water:  Steam,  mist,  fog, 
rain,  frost,  snow,  and  ice. 

Talk  about  different  forms  or  bodies  of  water,  such  as 
the  ocean,  harbors,  lakes,  ponds,  rivers,  brooks,  springs, 
and  the  fountains  in  the  parks.  Perhaps  some  child  has 
seen  Niagara  Falls. 

Of  what  use  is  water.? 

To  help  preserve  the  life  of  human  beings,  animals, 
birds,  insects,  and  plants. 

For  cleansing  purposes. 

For  traveling  and  commerce. 

It  puts  out  fire. 

It  generates  power  for  machinery  to  move. 

Talk  of  the  animals  that  live  in  or  near  the  water. 
Discuss  the  fishes,  frogs,  turtles,  snakes,  beavers,  and 
muskrats. 

Mention  flowers  that  live  in  or  near  the  water. 

At  the  end  of  this  month  come  the  first  signs  of  spring. 

Buds  on  the  trees  have  begun  to  swell. 

The  pussywillow  begins  to  come  out. 

Bulbs  are  seen  to  be  pricking  through  the  ground. 

Have  Chinese  lily-bulbs  growing  in  water  for  the 
children  to  watch. 

307 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

Measure  with  a  ruler  the  height  of  the  green  leaves 
from  day  to  day. 

A  few  birds  have  come  North. 

Take  a  walk  looking  for  signs  of  spring. 

If  the  season  is  a  little  advanced  the  forsythia  bush 
will  show  signs  of  life.  Take  a  few  branches  into  the 
warm  room  and  put  in  water.  In  a  few  days  the  yellow 
flowers  will  begin  to  develop  rapidly. 

Songs  (see  Volume  V) : 
"Rain  Song." 
"Rain." 

"Who  Has  Seen  the  Wind.?>" 
"The  Windmill." 
"Pussywillow." 

Gift  lessons: 

With  blocks  build  a  toy  village  having  a  library 
schoolhouse,  engine-house,  stores,  and  a  hospital. 
Build  rows  of  beds  for  the  hospital. 
Build  a  swimming-pool  for  the  gymnasium. 
Build  bookcases  for  the  library. 
Make  a  bandstand  for  the  musicians. 
Make  a  windmill.    Put  two  cardboard  fans  in  thf 
front  of  it. 

Build  a  bridge  to  go  over  the  river. 
Build  a  wharf  to  which  a  boat  can  be  tied. 
With  sticks,  rings,  tablets,  lentils  make  pictures  of 
Wagons  carrying  off  rubbish. 
Wheels  for  the  watermill. 
Fans  for  the  windmill. 
Bridges. 

308 


SUGGESTIVE  PROGRAMMES 

Weather  vanes. 
Trees  in  the  park. 
Fountain. 
Beds  in  a  hospital. 

Games: 

Give  exercises  that  will  imitate  what  the  wind  does, 
such  as  moving  like  the  swaying  branches,  arms  and 
body  twist  like  the  weather  vane,  turn  like  the  windmill 
fans. 

Make  sounds  like  the  wind. 

Imitate  holding  on  to  a  kite  or  balloon. 

Fly  like  a  bird. 

Hop  like  a  frog. 

Swimming  motion  with  arms. 

Sit  on  floor  and  row  as  if  in  boat. 

Soap  bubbles.  Let  the  children  make  soap  bubbles. 
This  shows  another  form  of  water.  Air  blown  into  the 
soapy  water  through  a  pipe  forms  a  w  ater  ball  and  floats 
off  into  air.  Note  the  beautiful  rainbow  colors  in  the 
bubbles. 

Marbles.  As  this  is  the  time  when  marbles  appear 
with  the  big  brothers,  let  the  little  children  enjoy  them 
too.   Play  some  of  the  ball  games  with  marbles. 

Dramatize  going  to  a  Are.  Ring  a  bell  or  strike  a  few 
notes  on  the  piano,  to  announce  a  fire.  Now  the  children 
are  busy  making-believe  to  get  on  their  suits  and  to  har- 
ness the  horses.  The  piano  begins  to  play  and  the  child- 
ren gallop  and  gallop  around  until  they  get  into  a  corner 
of  the  room  when  the  piano  stops.  The  children  now 
imitate  firemen  getting  out  the  hose  and  they  all  hold 

309 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

their  arms  and  hands  as  if  playing  the  hose.  At  the  same 
time  they  make  a  noise  with  their  mouths  Hke  the 
swishing  of  the  water.  Soon  the  fire  is  out,  the  music 
begins  again,  and  the  horses  (children)  trot  home  not 
quite  so  fast  as  they  went. 

Let  the  children  choose  ring  games  which  already 
have  been  learned. 

Dramatize  some  of  the  Mother  Goose  Verses.  "Jack 
be  Nimble,"  "Little  Miss  Muffet." 

Use  finger  plays  suggested  in  Chapter  I. 

Hand-work: 

With  crayons  the  children  will  Want  to  illustrate  their 
impressions  of  stories  and  talks.  Subjects  hkely  to  be 
sketched  are: 

Firemen  scaling  the  wall  of  a  burning  house. 

Engines  dashing  down  the  street. 

A  fountain  playing  in  the  park. 

Fish  in  the  aquarium. 

Bear  seen  at  the  zoo. 

Turtle  they  remember  from  last  summer. 

A  kite  going  skyward. 

Trees  as  they  are  bending  under  the  March  winds. 

Balloons  such  as  were  suggested  in  September. 

The  pussywillow  is  lots  of  fun  to  draw.  Use  a  piece 
of  chalk  to  make  the  white  pussies  on  each  side  alter- 
nating down  the  brown  stem. 

There  is  the  ocean  or  river  remembered  from  last 
summer's  vacation. 

Make  pinwheels  which  the  children  may  carry  home. 
(See  Chapter  XII.) 

310 


SUGGESTIVE  PROGRAMMES 

Cut  and  make  a  windmill  from  the  pattern  found  il- 
lustrated in  Chapter  XII.  With  the  teacher's  help  it 
would  be  interesting  to  put  the  Dutch  windmill  together. 
The  children  can  help  by  cutting  out  from  folded  paper 
the  little  Dutch  children. 

In  the  sand  table  work  out  the  toy  Dutch  village  as 
described  and  illustrated  in  Chapter  IX.  Holland  is  the 
land  of  windmills,  and  this  is,  therefore,  a  fitting  time 
to  construct  the  Dutch  village,  telling  stories  about  it 
at  the  same  time.  Let  the  children  cut  and  make  as 
many  parts  of  the  scene  as  possible.  (Read  *' Market 
Day  with  Father,*'  Volume  I.) 

Perhaps  an  older  brother  can  follow  directions  to 
make  a  Cape  Cod  windmill  or  the  hydroplane,  described 
in  Chapter  XII.  Either  would  be  a  great  contribution 
to  the  little  school  group  at  this  time.  They  could  be 
adjusted  outside  the  window  where  the  children  could 
watch  what  the  wind  makes  them  do. 

Paper-folding  (see  Chapter  II) ; 

Kite  fold. 

Windmill  fold. 

Make  a  kite.  Take  a  long,  flat  stick  called  a  slat  and 
paste  on  the  kite  fold  along  the  center,  vertical  diameter. 
Take  a  short  slat  and  paste  it  across  the  other  slat  on 
the  paper  at  the  widest  horizontal  diameter.  At  the 
top  of  the  kite  fasten  a  very  long  string  with  which  to 
hold  it.  At  the  bottom  of  the  kite  or  the  narrowest  end, 
tie  the  tail  which  consists  of  a  shorter  string  with  paper 
circles  placed  at  intervals  along  its  length.  Tie  knots  in 
front  and  behind  each  circle  to  hold  it  in  place.  As  the 

Sll 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

child  runs  with  it,  the  wind  is  supposed  to  carry  it  into 
the  air. 

Boat.  Make  a  boat  from  half  a  walnut-shell  or  of 
orange-peel.  Make  the  mast  of  a  toothpick  and  pin  a 
piece  of  paper  through  it  to  be  the  sail.  Let  the  children 
sail  their  boats  in  a  basin  of  water. 

Teddy-hear.  From  the  pattern  illustrated  in  Chapter 
XII  cut  out  different  parts  of  a  Teddy-bear,  then  put 
them  together  with  brass  fasteners. 

Turtle.  Make  the  body  from  a  flat  dried  prune.  Stick 
cloves  into  the  sides  for  his  legs  and  one  at  the  back  for 
his  tail.  For  his  head  use  a  raisin  which  can  be  joined  to 
the  body  with  a  clove.  If  the  group  of  children  is  small, 
let  each  one  make  a  turtle  and  take  it  home. 

Clay -modeling: 

Make  a  tile  of  the  clay  and  mould  in  bas-relief  the 
picture  of  a  Dutch  windmill  or  a  sailboat. 

Mould  a  fish,  turtle,  or  snail. 

Transparency: 

Follow  directions  for  the  making  of  the  goldfish  in  a 
bowl.   (See  the  illustration  Chapter  XII.) 

April 

Spring  has  come;  Jack  Frost  and  the  cold  north  wind 
have  gone.  The  sun  begins  to  feel  warmer.  Nature  feels 
her  warmth  because  already  is  seen  a  change  coming 
over  all  growing  things. 

Grass  is  turning  green. 

Dandelions  begin  to  show  their  yellow  heads. 
312 


SUGGESTIVE  PROGRAMMES 

Crocuses,  tulips,  daffodils,  and  narcissus  are  among 
the  early  flowers  that  come  from  those  brown  bulbs 
that  were  planted  last  fall.  The  snow  and  ice  kept  them 
warm  under  the  ground  until  cold  winter  should  pass 
away. 

Birds  are  returning  from  the  South  and  are  thinking 
about  building  nests.   Who  has  seen  a  robin .'^ 

The  animals  that  were  sleeping  all  winter  are  waking 
up. 

The  domestic  animals  can  soon  be  turned  out  to 
pasture. 

Farmers  are  beginning  to  plough  their  fields  for  plant- 
ing a  little  later. 

Have  some  beans  or  peas  soak  in  water  overnight 
and  then  keep  them  on  moist  cotton  batting  that  the 
children  may  watch  them  sprout.  Have  other  seeds  put 
into  flower  pots  that  they  may  grow  naturally  and  send 
out  their  leaves.  If  possible  have  a  school  garden  so 
that  the  children  may  learn  the  process  of  tilling  the 
soil,  planting  the  seed,  pulling  the  weeds,  and  caring 
for  their  own  plot  of  ground.  In  Chapter  V  may  be 
found  instructions  for  developing  school  gardens.  En- 
courage the  children  to  help  Father  at  home.  If  pos- 
sible give  them  plots  of  their  own  to  care  for. 

Talk  of  the  different  implements  the  farmer  needs: 
the  hoe,  rake,  shovel,  plough,  and  wheelbarrow.  Ask 
how  many  children  have  garden  tools  at  home. 

Discuss  the  part  played  by  the  sun,  rain,  and  wind  to 
make  things  grow. 

Talk  of  the  different  kinds  of  trees.  Have  twigs  in  the 
room  to  show  how  the  buds  develop.    The  bud  of  the 

313 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

horse-cliestnut  tree  is  the  best  example  to  show  chil- 
dren, as  it  is  large  and  the  unfolding  process  is  easily 
seen.  Note  the  stickiness  of  the  outside  of  the  bud,  the 
stiff,  dark  brown  cover,  and  the  tender,  little  leaves 
forming  inside.  Keep  the  buds  in  water  and  they  will 
open  nicely. 

Trees  familiar  to  children  —  use  of  different  trees. 

Fruit-trees  —  apple,  pear,  cherry,  peach,  banana. 

Maple-tree;  sap  forms  maple  sugar. 

Oak-tree;  building  houses. 

Nut-trees  —  chestnut,  hickory,  horse-chestnut. 

Elm-trees,  in  which  orioles  build  their  nests. 

Evergreen  trees  —  fir,  pine,  spruce,  used  for  building 
houses,  making  a  fire,  Christmas-tree. 

Birds  build  their  homes  in  the  trees. 

Trees  are  a  shelter  for  man  and  beast. 

Devote  a  day  to  describing  the  process  of  making 
maple  sugar.  Have  pictures  illustrating  the  tapping  of 
the  trees.  Perhaps  you  can  procure  a  wooden  faucet 
which  is  placed  in  the  trees.  The  sap  runs  through  the 
tree  and  out  of  the  faucet  into  a  bucket  which  is  placed 
underneath.  Explain  the  boiling-down  of  the  sap  to 
make  sugar.  Small  pieces  of  maple  sugar  may  be  given 
to  children  at  the  luncheon-hour.  Maple  sugar  melted 
becomes  the  maple  syrup  which  we  like  to  eat  on  griddle 
cakes  and  bread. 

Talk  of  the  carpenter  who  uses  wood  to  build  every- 
thing he  makes. 

First  the  great  trees  of  the  forest  must  be  cut  down  by 
the  lumbermen  and  carried  to  the  sawmiU  where  the 

314 


SUGGESTIVE  PROGRAMMES 

tree  is  cut  into  boards.  These  are  carried  by  tram  to 
lumber  yards  all  over  the  world  and  the  carpenter  must 
go  there  to  buy  his  wood. 

Follow  out  the  construction  of  a  house,  pointing  out 
our  dependence  upon  other  workmen  who  must  help  the 
carpenter  so  that  the  house  will  be  built  correctly. 

Men  must  dig  down  into  the  earth  for  a  cellar  with 
their  pick-axes  and  shovels. 

The  mason  comes  with  stones  and  mortar  to  build  the 
walls  of  the  cellar.  He  also  builds  the  chimney. 

The  carpenter  builds  the  house  on  top  of  the  cellar. 

The  plumber  puts  in  pipes  for  water. 

The  electrician  wires  the  house  for  lights. 

Lastly  the  painter  comes  to  paint  the  house  when  it  is 
built.    (See  Volume  III.) 

In  the  home  Mother  is  cleaning  again,  making  the 
rooms  seem  fresh.  She  is  putting  away  winter  furs  and 
clothing  and  making  new  garments,  for  we  want  lighter 
clothing  now. 

EASTER 

With  the  awakening  of  all  plant  life  comes  the  spiritual 
thought,  to  impart  to  the  children,  of  the  Heavenly 
Father's  care  over  all  things.  Strengthen  their  faith 
that  His  promises  are  always  fulfilled.  Easter  is  the  ful- 
fillment of  the  promise  of  a  new  seed-time  and  an  awak- 
ening of  new  life. 

Bring  out  from  the  dark  closet  the  cocoons  which 
were  carefully  kept  in  a  box  all  winter.  Dwell  upon  the 
great  beauty  of  the  butterfly  springing  from  the  small 
gray  nest. 

315 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

Have  a  brown  bulb  and  beside  it  place  a  beautiful 
Easter  lily  telling  the  children  that  the  flower  came 
from  a  dark  bulb  just  like  this  one.  The  contrast  of  both 
these  examples  of  the  butterfly  and  lily  should  impress 
upon  the  children  the  marvelous  work  of  the  Heavenly 
Father. 

Easter,  therefore,  is  a  joyous  time.  The  church  bells 
will  ring  and  we  will  go  to  sing  praises  to  God  for  His 
wondrous  works.  The  beautiful  Easter  lilies  and  other 
flowers  will  be  in  the  church  too. 

Take  the  children  to  a  florist's  shop  that  they  may  see 
the  beautiful  display  of  blossoms.  Take  a  lily  to  a  sick 
child. 

Old  legends  and  customs  have  brought  into  use  the 
celebrating  of  Easter  not  only  with  the  lily,  but  with  the 
Easter  egg  and  the  little  chicken  just  hatched.  The  rab- 
bit, too,  symbolizes  the  season. 

Take  a  walk  to  some  friend's  yard  where  there  is  a 
rabbit  or  perhaps  a  brood  of  downy  chickens  just 
hatched. 

Talk  about  the  kinds  of  birds  that  are  seen,  such  as 
the  robin,  sparrow,  bluebird,  red-winged  blackbird, 
woodpecker,  and  oriole.  Have  pictures  of  these  so  that 
they  may  be  closely  examined.  It  may  be  possible  to 
have  a  collection  of  stuffed  birds  which  would  help  more 
definitely  to  teach  size,  form,  and  color. 

Songs  (see  Volume  V) : 
''Spring." 

"Bobby  Redbreast." 
"What  Robin  Told." 

316 


SUGGESTIVE  PROGRAMMES 

"The  Nest." 
"Two  Little  Birds." 

Gift  lessons: 

Build  with  blocks:  Houses  of  different  architecture. 
Greenhouse.   Chimneys. 

Transformation  of  the  little  boy  going  downtown 
with  his  father.    (See  Chapter  XV.) 

Sticks  and  rings.  Make  pictures  of  pick-axe,  shovel, 
hoe,  rake,  wheelbarrow.  Carpenter's  tools  —  hammer, 
saw,  etc. 

Lentils.  Pictures  of  lily  and  other  flowers.  Pictures  of 
chicken,  rabbit,  egg. 

Games: 

Imitate  the  bird  in  his  different  activities,  such  as  fly- 
ing, hopping,  drinking  water,  and  going  to  sleep. 

When  possible  let  the  recess  hour '  be  spent  out  of 
doors  using  many  of  the  ring  games  used  indoors  through 
the  winter. 

All  ball  games  can  be  used. 

See  who  can  put  the  most  balls  into  the  basket  which 
is  a  certain  distance  away. 

Hand-work: 

The  suggestions  are  many  for  the  use  of  crayons  and 
paints  because  the  season  has  come  when  there  is  a  va- 
riety of  activities  to  illustrate  as  well  as  Nature  sub- 
jects to  paint. 

The  flowers  are  large  and  have  fairly  simple  lines  to 
follow.  The  tulip  especially  comes  easy  to  the  children. 

317 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

First  give  them  freedom  to  paint  what  flowers  they 
choose.  Make  a  conventional  border  of  tulips  or  cro- 
cuses to  be  placed  about  the  room.  Have  patterns  of 
these  flowers  which  can  be  outlined,  colored,  and  then 
cut  out. 

Cut  out  a  crocus  flower  and  its  leaves,  about  three 
inches  in  height,  having  colored  them  first.  Make  a 
drawing  of  a  bowl  three  inches  wide  and  two  inches 
high.  Color  this  dark  green,  blue,  or  brown.  Cut  this  out 
and  paste  it  around  the  edges  on  a  large  piece  of  white 
paper.  Now  slip  the  crocus  flower  into  the  top  of  the 
bowl.  This  makes  an  effective  picture  to  take  home. 

Paint  horse-chestnut  twig  showing  the  folded  bud  at 
the  top. 

Suggestions  of  patterns  to  copy  are  given  in  Chapter 
XII;  such  as  — 

The  Easter  goose. 

Floating  duck. 

Flying  bluebird. 

Pot  of  tulips. 

Flower  pot  filled  with  sand. 

Wheelbarrow  cut  from  a  double  fold  of  paper.  Make 
a  rabbit  from  turkish  toweling.    (See  Chapter  XI.) 

Let  the  children  make  a  church  window  by  floating 
colors  and  blending  them  to  give  the  effect  of  stained 
glass.  With  black  paper  cut  out  the  framework  of  a 
church  window.  A  full  description  of  making  it  and  an 
illustration  may  be  found  in  Chapter  III. 

Cut  out  a  landscape  picture  showing  how  maple  sap 
is  gathered.   (See  illustration  in  Chapter  II.) 

Easter  card.  Paste  white  paper  on  a  gray  mount. 
318 


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DESIGNING  IN  WATER-COLORS 


SUGGESTIVE  PROGRAMMES 

Crayon  the  upper  part  of  the  white  paper  blue  for  sky, 
the  lower  half  green  for  grass.  Let  children  cut  out  a 
chicken  from  a  pattern  they  have  drawn  in  and  crayon 
the  chicken  yellow.  Paste  this  on  the  green  grass. 

Pa'per-tearing: 
Farmers'  tools. 
Butterfly. 
Rabbit. 

Trans'parency: 

Make  a  picture  of  chicken  to  hang  in  the  window. 
Cut  out  of  green  or  black  paper  two  ovals  six  inches 
long  and  three  inches  wide.  From  each  of  these  ovals 
cut  out  the  centers  leaving  a  border  about  half  an  inch 
wide.  This  makes  the  picture  frame.  Now  cut  out  two 
ovals  six  by  three  inches  of  transparency  paper.  Paste 
these  on  the  inside  of  each  of  the  frame  ovals.  Make  a 
yellow  chicken  about  two  inches  tall.  Color  him  yellow 
on  both  sides.  Now  paste  him  in  the  middle  of  the  trans- 
parency paper  on  the  inside.  Then  paste  the  two  ovals 
together,  and  on  holding  it  up  to  the  light  you  will  see 
the  chicken  in  between.  Tie  in  a  piece  of  raffia  at  the 
top  and  hang  the  chicken  in  the  window. 

A  more  elaborate  one  can  be  made  by  making  the 
picture  of  a  hencoop,  hen,  and  several  little  chickens. 

Transparencies  of  a  pot  of  tulips  or  yellow  jonquils 
are  lovely. 

Clay-modeling; 

Make  a  tile  with  bas-relief  of  a  chicken  coming  from 
half  a  broken  shell.  Paint  chicken  yellow. 

319 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

Mould  maple  sugar  cakes. 

Easter  eggs. 

Rabbit. 

Humorous  blackboard  drawing: 

While  the  following  verses  are  read  let  some  one  illus- 
trate on  the  board. 

THE  FORGETFUL  CARPENTER 

There  was  a  jolly  carpenter 

Whose  heart  was  good  and  kind. 
But  a  poorer  memory  than  his 

It  would  be  hard  to  find. 

Once  on  a  time  he  built  a  house 

For  his  family  of  nine. 
And  when  at  last  it  was  complete 

He  thought  it  verj'  fine. 

(Draw  a  square  on  the  board) 

The  wagons  came  piled  high  with  goods 

Till  they  could  hold  no  more. 
But  no  one  could  get  in  the  house 

For  there  was  n't  any  door. 

"Why,  how  could  that  have  slipped  my  mind?** 
Said  the  carpenter  with  a  grin. 
And  then  he  quickly  made  a  door 
To  let  the  family  in. 

(Draw  in  a  door) 

The  eager  nine  rushed  in  with  glee, 
But  started  back  with  fright: 
"Why,  Father,  what's  the  matter  here? 
The  house  is  dark  as  night." 

"The  windows,  too,  could  I  forget?'* 
He  said  in  sad  dismay, 
320 


SUGGESTIVE  PROGRAMIVIES 

And  went  to  work  to  saw  some  out 
Without  an  hour's  delay. 

{Draw  in  windows) 

The  family  tried  to  settle  there. 

But  the  nine  began  to  sneeze. 
And  cried,  "We  surely  cannot  live 

In  draughty  rooms  like  these." 

"Oh,  what  have  I  forgotten  now?" 
Said  the  weary  man.   "Alas! 
I  've  only  sawed  the  window  holes. 
Now  I  '11  put  in  the  glass. 

{Draw  lines  to  represent  window  panes) 

This  was  a  peaceful,  happy  home 

Till  it  began  to  pour; 
It  came  down  through  the  plastering 

And  flooded  walls  and  floor. 

The  carpenter  hurried  out  of  doors. 
Forgetting  coat  and  hat; 
**0h,  woe  is  me,  there  is  no  roof  — 
Why  did  n't  I  think  of  that?" 

He  soon  had  built  a  gable  roof. 

No  better  could  be  found. 
The  nine  were  snug  and  dry  inside. 

The  rain  poured  on  the  ground. 
{Draw  a  roof) 

But  when  they  made  the  furnace  fire 

They  all  began  to  choke 
And  double  up  in  coughing  fits. 

For  the  house  was  filled  with  smoke. 

"Oh!  what  have  I  forgotten  now?" 
The  man  cried  in  despair. 
His  frantic  eyes  the  house-top  scanned 
"No  chimney,  I  declare!" 

{Build  chimney) 

821 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

He  made  a  handsome  chimney  high. 

Then  said,  "Oh,  children  mine. 
If  ever  I  build  another  house 

For  a  family  of  nine, 

"If  you  love  your  poor  old  father,  dear. 
Stay  by  me,  if  you  please. 
And  gently  jog  my  memory 
On  little  points  like  these." 

May 

Spring  has  brought  the  beginning  of  growing  in  the 
world  of  Nature  and  activities  among  the  birds  and  ani- 
mals. This  month  of  May  continues  the  good  work, 
bringing  more  warmth,  sunshine,  and  rain.  The  leaves 
are  entirely  out  on  the  trees.  The  shrubbery  is  flowering, 
and  even  the  wild  and  garden  flowers  are  showing  their 
pretty  heads. 

Inquire  of  the  children  how  their  gardens  are  getting 
along  at  home.  If  there  are  school  gardens  spend  some 
time  daily  in  them,  for  things  will  not  grow  without  care. 

Talk  over  the  different  kinds  of  vegetables  to  be 
planted. 

Study  more  about  the  birds.  Have  samples  of  bird 
nests  that  the  children  may  examine  them.  See  what 
they  are  made  of. 

What  tools  do  the  birds  use  to  make  the  nests? 

Discuss  family  life  of  the  birds. 

Keeping  of  eggs  warm. 

Father's  and  mother's  tender  and  patient  care  of 
their  young;  feeding  of  the  young  and  teaching  them 
how  to  fly. 

Compare  these  with  children's  homes. 


SUGGESTIVE  PROGRAMMES 

Tender  care  of  them  by  their  parents. 

Fed,  clothed,  sheltered,  and  loved  by  their  parents. 

Speak  of  Mother's  Day,  the  second  Sunday  of  May. 
(See  Chapter  XII.) 

How    should    children    act    toward    their    parents  .^^ 
Grateful,  loving,  and  helpful. 

Boys  can  help  in  the  home: 

Run  errands  for  Mother. 

Bring  in  coal  and  wood. 

Keep  the  yard  picked  up. 

Help  in  planting  and  weeding  garden. 

If  living  in  the  country  they  can  drive  the  cows  home. 
Learn  to  milk  the  cows. 

Feed  the  hens,  and  gather  the  eggs. 

Girls  may  be  busy  little  housekeepers  in  helping 
Mother.    (Read  Chapter  VII.) 

Talk  about  the  different  insects,  bugs,  grasshoppers; 
their  habits  and  uses. 

Study  about  the  bees.    If  possible  have  some  Uving 
honey  bees  at  work  in  an  apiary. 

Speak  of  different  kinds  of  bees  and  their  homes. 

The  commimity  life  of  the  bee.   Duties  of  the  Queen 
bee,  drones,  and  working  bees. 

Making  of  wax  combs. 

Gathering  pollen  from  the  flowers  and  carrying  it  in 
the  pockets  of  their  little  legs. 

Making  honey. 

Let  the  children  have  some  honey  on  bread  for  their 
luncheon. 

Take  children  for  many  walks,  calling  attention  to 
things  that  have  been  talked  over  in  the  group. 

32S 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

Gather  wild  flowers,  cautioning  the  children  to  pick 
only  flowers  they  know  about.  Some  leaves  are  poison- 
ous and  the  children  must  learn  about  them  early. 

If  possible  visit  a  farm  where  the  children  can  watch 
ploughing,  planting,  hoeing,  and  how  the  animals  are 
fed  and  housed.  Let  them  feed  the  chickens,  ducks,  and 
turkeys.  Let  them  watch  the  cows  as  they  chew  their 
cud;  watch  milking.  Perhaps  there  is  a  bossy  or  a  new 
litter  of  pigs.  The  opportunity  for  children  to  see  all 
this  life  means  a  great  deal  to  their  early  education  and 
appreciation  of  labor  and  preparation  of  food  materials 
for  the  maintenance  of  the  physical  world. 

There  are  many  stories  to  tell  of  the  animal  world. 
The  old  fables  are  interesting  to  the  children  because 
they  put  conversation  into  the  mouths  of  animals. 
Fairy  stories  tell  wonderful  tales  of  what  happens  to 
good  and  bad  children.  The  morals  of  all  these  stories 
sink  into  the  children's  minds  without  being  alluded  to 
directly. 

MAY  DAY 

The  first  day  of  May  is  a  day  set  apart  for  a  festival. 
Coming  from  an  old  English  custom  we  find  much  about 
it  worth  while  preserving.  It  is  a  day  when  we  greet  our 
friends  with  cheer  and  joyousness  because  we  're  glad  to 
be  living  when  all  Nature  is  blooming  again.  (See  Chap- 
ter XII.) 

Let  the  children  plan  with  you,  during  the  last  of  _ 
April,  to  make  May  Day  a  day  of  joy  and  merry-mak- 
ing.   Make  a  programme  of  games,  dancing,  and  sing- 
ing, and  hope  that  the  day  will  be  fair  so  that  the  event 


SUGGESTIVE  PROGRAMMES 

can  be  carried  on  out  of  doors.  Arrange  for  the  Maypole 
with  as  many  streamers  floating  from  the  top  as  you 
have  children.  Let  them  weave  their  streamers  as  they 
pass  each  other  in  and  out  until  the  pole  is  entirely 
wound  up  with  colors.  Now  let  the  children  turn  round 
and  skip  in  and  out  the  other  way,  still  holding  to  their 
streamer  ends.  The  pole  will  soon  be  unwound  and  once 
more  the  children  stop  at  their  rightful  places.  The 
dance  is  most  effective  when  the  children  are  dressed  in 
white. 

MEMORIAL  DAY 

The  30th  of  May  is  a  national  holiday  of  the  United 
States.  It  is  a  day  when  we  think  of  the  brave  soldiers 
who  in  years  gone  by  have  bravely  fought  in  wars  that 
this  country  should  be  free.  Though  a  day  of  sadness 
and  retrospect  for  the  older  people,  yet  the  children 
should  realize  that  they  could  not  be  so  happy  if  they 
had  not  been  protected  by  these  loyal  and  courageous  sol- 
diers. They  lost  their  lives  for  a  great  cause  and  now  we 
decorate  their  graves  with  reverence  and  gratitude.  The 
spirit  of  patriotism  is  the  thought  to  dwell  upon.  It  is 
very  fitting,  at  this  time,  to  invite  a  veteran  to  come,  in 
uniform,  to  talk  to  the  children.  He  will  tell  them  how 
glad  he  was  that  he  could  fight  to  protect  them. 

Saluting  of  the  flag  and  patriotic  songs  should  be  a 
part  of  the  programme. 

Songs  (see  Volume  V) : 
"Over  in  the  Meadow." 
"Feeding  the  Chickens." 
325 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

"The  Sparrows." 

"Bossy  Cow." 

"This  Little  Pig  Went  to  Market." 

"Flag  of  our  Country." 

"Sweeping  and  Dusting." 

Gifts: 

Build  courtyard  and  throne  for  the  Queen  of  the  May 
illustrating  May  Day  Festival. 

Farm  buildings  and  fences. 

Boxes  to  hold  honey. 

Monuments  to  the  memory  of  soldiers. 

Rings.   Beehives,  bird  nests,  flower  forms. 

Sticks,  rings,  and  tablets:  Cooking  utensils,  vases  for 
flowers,  furniture. 

Games: 

Exercises  imitating  household  occupations,  such  as 
dusting,  sweeping,  beating  eggs,  stirring  cake,  washing 
and  ironing. 

Finger  Play:  "The  wash-bench."  (Chapter  I.) 

Exercises  imitating  farm  activities,  such  as  plough- 
ing, planting,  weeding,  feeding  chickens. 

Fly  like  birds,  butterflies,  bees  with  the  buzz. 

Take  children  out  of  doors  letting  them  play  house 
under  the  trees. 

Play  ring  games.    (Chapter  XIII.) 

Family  game. 

The  Bird  Nest. 

Singing  game  (Volume  V) :  Oats,  peas,  beans. 

Dramatic  game  of  "Henny  Penny."  (See  Chapter 
XIV.) 

326 


SUGGESTIVE  PPOGRAMMES 

Hand-worh: 

Draw  the  bean  in  diflFerent  stages  of  its  growth. 

1.  The  bean. 

2.  Root  starting  to  shoot  downward. 

3.  Cotyledons  starting  upward. 

4.  Pair  of  leaves  at  the  top  and  the  root  branching 
out  into  several  roots. 

Painting  of  new  flowers,  such  as  violet,  cowslip,  and 
twig  of  forsythia. 

Crayoning  illustrations  of  a  day's  experience  visiting 
the  farm. 

Draw  bees  flying  around  a  beehive. 

Give  children  patterns  of  different  animals,  such  as 
cow,  horse,  or  of  a  hen  or  chicken.  Let  them  outline 
these  on  a  double  fold  of  paper,  the  fold  coming  at  the 
side.  Now  cut  out  the  figure  and  if  only  a  small  part  can 
be  kept  creased  and  not  cut,  this  will  be  sufficient  to 
hold  the  double  picture  together.  Made  in  this  way  the 
animals  will  stand  up. 

Make  forsythia  chains. 

Pigeon-house. 

Soldier  caps. 

Cap  for  May  Day  Festival. 

May  baskets.    (See  Chapter  XII.) 

Doll-house  and  furniture.   (See  Chapter  VIII.) 

Paper-folding: 

Use  the  Kraus  folding  forms  described  and  illustrated 
in  Chapter  II. 

Paper-tearing: 

Bluebird.  Beehive.  Flowers. 

3^7 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

June 

School  is  about  over  for  the  season.  Schoolroom  work 
is  giving  way  to  outdoor  play  for  the  children.  There  is, 
however,  a  new  school  open  for  them,  a  larger  school, 
the  school  of  Nature,  where  there  are  endless  lessons. 
This  is  the  month  of  flowers  and  gardens.  Let  the  flow- 
ers and  gardens  be  the  children's  teachers. 

At  this  time  of  year  the  farmer  is  still  ploughing  and 
planting  for  the  late  winter  vegetables.  He  is  hoeing 
and  weeding  the  plants  and  vines  already  growing. 
Early  radishes  and  lettuce  are  ready  to  be  gathered  and 
strawberries  are  being  sent  to  market.  The  children 
must  watch  their  own  gardens  and  gather  in  whatever 
is  ready  to  be  picked.  Proud  are  the  children  when 
they  take  in  their  first  bright  red  radish  to  Mother. 

With  this  change  from  school  hours  the  wise  parents 
will  give  regular  daily  duties  to  be  done  in  the  home. 
Let  the  child  feel  that  he  is  responsible  for  certain  things 
to  be  accomplished.  The  family  working  together  for  a 
common  interest  will  further  the  development  in  the 
children  of  right  ideals  of  citizenship,  patriotism,  and 
cooperation. 

June  has  but  one  festival  of  national  consideration, 
that  of  June  14th  which  is  called  Flag  Day.  On  this  day 
the  children  should  fly  their  flag,  learn  what  the  flag 
stands  for,  and  how  it  should  be  treated.  Show  them 
pictures  of  flags  of  other  nations.  All  flags  should  be  re- 
spected, but  one's  first  loyalty  is  to  his  own  flag.  (See 
Volume  I.) 

The  circus  generally  arrives  in  town  some  time  this 
328 


SUGGESTIVE  PROGRAMMES 

month.  The  children  are  nearly  at  fever  heat  with  ex- 
citement when  they  rush  into  the  house  and  announce, 
"The  circus  has  come  to  town!" 

Setting  aside  the  grotesque  and  unnatural  features  of 
the  circus,  the  opportunity  for  the  children  to  see  live 
animals  straight  from  the  jungle  is  an  education  in  itself. 
Throughout  the  year  the  children  have  been  poring  over 
picture  books  looking  at  the  pictures  of  the  lion,  tiger, 
hippopotamus,  kangaroo,  and  many  more.  Now  they 
can  gaze  into  the  faces  of  these  wild  animals.  Doubtless 
the  roar  of  the  lion  sends  cold  chills  down  the  children's 
backs,  but  nevertheless  it  is  a  thrilling  sound  to  hear. 
The  elephants,  too,  are  so  huge,  yet  seem  to  understand 
human  language,  and  are  always  ready  for  more  pea- 
nuts. A  day  at  the  circus  means  happy  memories  to  the 
children  for  months  and  months  to  come. 

There  are  the  parks  to  visit  where  a  group  of  children 
may  take  their  lunches  for  a  picnic.  The  city  has  pro- 
vided forms  of  amusement  for  these  reservations.  There 
are  the  swings,  the  see-saw,  and  the  sand  piles  to  dig  in. 
With  squeals  of  joy  the  children  beg  for  a  ride  when 
they  see  the  merry-go-round.  If  there  is  a  body  of 
water  near  by  there  will  be  rides  in  the  swan  boat  or 
some  other  kind  of  boat.  There  is  the  popcorn  man, 
balloon  man,  and  near  by  there  is,  perhaps,  a  place  to 
buy  ice-cream  cones.  Good  judgment  and  patience 
must  go  with  the  mother  or  attendant  when  the  continu- 
ous question  is  put  before  her,  "May  I  have  some.^^" 
Tired,  but  happy  and  with  a  day  of  experiences  never  to 
be  forgotten,  the  children  go  to  bed  wishing  all  days 
could  be  like  these  happy  days  in  June. 

329 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

Songs  (see  Volume  V) : 
"June." 
"Buttercups." 
"Daisies." 
"The  Giraffe." 
"The  Popcorn  Man." 

Rhythm  music: 

"The  Elephants  Go  Down  the  Street." 

Gifts: 

Build  a  circus  building  with  blocks. 

Make  animals  to  go  in  it. 

Make  the  transformation  with  the  Fourth  Gift. 

Sticks  and  rings: 

Make  pictures  of  all  the  wonderful  things  seen  at  the 
circus. 

Borders  of  flowers  can  be  made  by  taking  the  butter- 
cup for  a  motif  and  repeating  it  several  times. 

I.  Take  the  electric  car.  Stand  bricks  on  long,  nar^ 
row  side  in  a  row  like  car  seats. 

II.  Make  four  benches  in  the  pine  grove.  Put  second 
brick  on  top  of  first  brick  with  broad  flat  face  on  top. 
Do  same  with  every  one  making  four  benches. 

III.  Form  two  square  tables  in  grove.  Move  two 
benches  together  making  one  table.  Do  same  with  other 
two  benches. 

IV.  Let  us  be  more  sociable  and  have  one  long  dining- 
table  for  the  picnic.   Move  two  tables  together. 

V.  Put  back  the  two  square  tables. 

330 


SUGGESTIVE  PROGRAMMES 

VI.  Leave  four  benches  in  the  grove. 

VII.  Make  the  electric  car  to  take  you  home. 

VIII.  Home  —  pile  bricks  into  square  formation. 

Games: 

Give  children  free  choice  in  outdoor  games. 

If  a  dismal  day  comes  when  they  must  be  indoors,  let 
them  play  menagerie.    (See  Chapter  XIII.) 

Merry-go-round.  Use  music.  The  following  words  are 
set  to  the  first  sixteen  measures  of  "Mosquito  Parade," 
by  Howard  Whitney.  Transpose  the  music  to  key  of  F, 
so  that  it  can  be  more  easily  sung: 

"Who'd  like  to  ride  on  the  Merry-go-round: 
But  first  the  horses  must  be  found. 
We'll  form  our  wheel  within  the  ring 
And  take  our  places  while  we  sing." 

Four  children,  with  arms  locked  across  each  other's 
shoulders  side  by  side,  form  the  small  inner  circle  or  hub 
of  the  wheel.  Four  more  children  are  used  for  spokes  of 
the  wheel.  To  make  the  spoke  let  each  child  stand  back 
of  one  of  these  children  forming  the  hub.  Let  him  stand 
with  arms  outstretched  to  the  side  and  one  hand  on 
shoulder  of  the  hub  child  who  is  standing  in  front  of 
him.  This  wheel  will  turn  slowly  around  while  the  out- 
side circle  of  children  will  be  ponies.  Let  them  turn  to 
the  side,  form  a  line,  and  hold  hands  together  in  front  of 
them  as  if  holding  reins.   Now  sing  second  stanza: 

"Stand  still,  my  pony,  don't  run  away: 
We  want  to  have  a  ride  to-day. 
Jump  on  your  saddles  and  crack  your  whip 
And  here  we  go  cHppity-clip." 
331 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

A  chord  on  the  piano  means  to  give  a  jump  and 
make-believe  to  get  on  the  ponies.  The  music  is  played 
through  again  in  quicker  time  as  the  ponies  gallop. 
Then,  slowing  down  at  the  end,  the  ponies  walk  and 
finally  stop  with  the  music.  Repeat  the  game  letting 
new  children  make  the  wheel  inside. 

Hand-work: 

Let  the  children  work  out  a  toy  village  under  the  ap- 
ple-tree using  spools  to  make  the  roads.  (See  descrip- 
tion in  Chapter  IV.) 

Make  a  merry-go-round.   (See  Chapter  XL) 

Elephant.  In  an  animal  book  find  a  good  picture  of  an 
elephant.  Make  patterns  of  the  different  parts  of  the 
body.  Now  let  the  child  draw  an  outline  of  these  and 
cut  them  out  himself.  There  should  be  a  body,  head  and 
trunk,  tail,  and  four  legs.  Fasten  these  different  parts 
with  brass  fasteners  to  the  proper  places  of  the  body. 
Thus  you  have  made  a  jointed  elephant  like  the  Teddy- 
bear  described  in  Chapter  XII. 

The  little  girl  may  like  to  try  her  hand  at  sewing  for 
her  doll.  Encourage  her  in  this  quiet  occupation  as  the 
days  grow  warmer. 

July 

When  July  rolls  around  with  its  succession  of  warm 
days,  there  comes  the  inevitable  call  from  the  country 
and  seashore,  urging  us  away  from  the  hot,  dirty  city 
with  all  its  din  and  roar. 

At  the  first  breath  of  salt  air,  with  what  glee  the  chil- 
dren seize  pail  and  shovel  and  run  to  the  ghstening 

332 


SUGGESTIVE  PROGRAMMES 

white  beach!  What  a  treat  it  is  for  them  to  make  all 
sorts  of  things,  patting  the  sand  into  every  conceivable 
shape! 

Let  them  have  the  fascination  of  adventure  in  explor- 
ing around  the  rocks. 

Bring  with  you  several  small  boxes  so  that  they  can 
make  separate  collections  of  shells,  pretty  stones,  and 
starfish. 

Find  a  pointed  stick  that  they  may  draw  designs  on 
the  sand. 

With  twigs  and  stones  let  them  lay  out  a  toy  village. 

There  are  living  creatures  in  the  water,  and  here  is  a 
chance  for  educational  material.  The  little  fiddler  crabs 
run  up  and  down  their  holes.  They  have  such  funny 
legs  and  claws.  Here  is  a  big  crab  that  if  boiled  is  good 
to  eat. 

Let  the  child  dig  down  the  hole  where  he  saw  water 
spurt  out.  He  is  surprised  to  find  the  clam,  perhaps 
several  of  them. 

The  jellyfish  is  the  simplest  form  of  life.  The  starfish 
is  so  pretty  when  dried. 

Give  the  child  a  chance  with  a  real  hook  and  line  to 
experience  the  labor  of  a  fisherman. 

The  seaweed  is  fun  to  gather.  When  dried  the  little 
pods  may  be  strung  to  make  a  chain. 

An  edible  form  of  Irish  moss  is  found  on  some  parts 
of  the  coast.  Once  shown  the  right  kind  of  moss,  the 
child  can  soon  gather  a  pail  full,  especially  after  a  storm 
has  driven  it  in  and  torn  it  from  the  rocky  deep.  Wash 
the  moss  carefully  in  several  fresh  water  rinsings,  then 
spread  on  brown  paper  and  place  in  the  sun  to  dry. 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

Move  it  about  several  times  so  that  in  all  parts  it  will  be 
thoroughly  dried  before  you  pack  it  away  in  a  tin  to 
bring  home  in  your  trunk.  A  small  amount  will  go  a  long 
way  in  cooking.  Irish  moss  blanc-mange  is  considered 
one  of  the  most  delicate  desserts,  and  physicians  order 
it  for  patients,  who  can  take  milk,  as  one  of  their  first 
menus. 

Call  attention  to  the  different  kinds  of  boats  in  the 
harbor.  Let  the  child  go  in  boats. 

Let  him  have  a  toy  boat.  Make  one  of  a  shingle  with 
a  mast  and  cotton  sail  if  you  have  nothing  better. 

Talk  about  buoys  and  lighthouses. 

If  there  is  a  life-saving  station  near  by  find  a  way,  if 
possible,  to  visit  it.  Talk  of  the  brave  men  who  patrol 
our  coast  while  we  are  sound  asleep.   They  are  heroes. 

Let  the  child  enjoy  wading  and  bathing  as  is  seen  fit 
for  his  health. 

Many  games  may  be  played  on  the  hard  sand.  The 
ball  is  the  favorite.  It  can  be  rolled  and  tossed  and 
bounced.  If  it  is  a  cork  ball  there  is  much  sport  taking 
it  into  the  water  while  bathing. 

Races  with  competition  in  running,  hopping,  and 
jumping  are  fun.  Use  pebbles  placed  along  in  a  row  for 
time  races  and  see  who  will  gather  his  row  first. 

The  game  of  statue  can  be  played  on  the  beach. 

There  are  picnics  to  be  had  on  the  beach  and  a  clam- 
bake. The  building  of  the  fire,  heating  the  stones,  using 
seaweed  over  the  stones  in  which  to  throw  the  clams, 
then  covering  them  with  sail  cloth,  is  a  process  never  to 
be  forgotten  by  a  child  or  a  grown-up.  It  is  primitive 
cooking,  but  it  tastes  so  good! 


SUGGESTIVE  PROGRAMMES 

Nature  gives  beauty  to  the  seashore  besides  the  sand 
and  rocks.  A  child  will  find  some  wild  flowers  near  the 
sand.  There  are  low,  scrubby  bushes  which  surprise  us 
with  the  beach  plum,  from  which  jelly  can  be  made. 
The  gorgeous  marsh  mallow  stands  up  in  salt  marshes  as 
beautiful  in  flower  and  color  as  any  hollyhock,  and  here 
and  there  one  stumbles  on  a  bed  of  Indian  sweetgrass. 
The  pine-trees  seem  to  thrive  in  sandy  soil,  and  on  some 
parts  of  our  Eastern  coast  where  the  ozone  of  the  pine 
and  salt  air  are  combined  it  is  considered  the  most  mar- 
velous tonic  for  any  human  being  to  have. 

The  child  who  can  spend  the  month  in  the  country  is 
indeed  fortunate.  There  are  so  many  things  to  see,  learn 
about,  and  best  of  all  live  a  free,  happy  existence  close 
to  Nature. 

We  have  spoken  of  the  farmer,  his  work  and  respon- 
sibilities; we  may  have  taken  children  to  visit  a  farm 
for  a  day;  but  to  live  from  day  to  day  with  all  the  won- 
derful development  of  Nature  is  a  great  experience  for 
a  child.  The  seeds  planted  in  April  and  May  are  now 
peas,  squash,  cucumbers,  beets,  carrots,  etc.,  on  your 
table  for  dinner.  The  tiny  kernels  of  corn  are  now  beau- 
tiful stalks  of  green  and  the  wheat  is  growing  too. 

The  grass  has  grown  tall  and  ripe,  so  the  farmer  goes 
with  his  machine  to  cut  it.  He  spreads  it  in  the  sun, 
turns  it,  and  then  stacks  it.  Let  the  children  jump  into 
the  hayrack  and  go  bumpity,  bump  down  the  field  to 
get  a  load  of  hay.  Now  the  hay  is  tossed  into  the  hay- 
rack, the  children  tramp  it  down  so  more  can  be  put  in. 
The  cart  becomes  fuller  and  fuller  and  the  children 
laugh  and  squeal  with  delight  as  they  too  must  chmb 

335 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

higher.  At  last  the  ride  home  on  a  bed  of  ease  on  top  of 
that  wagon  of  hay  is  the  joy  of  the  day's  play. 

Let  the  Httle  girl  bring  a  bunch  of  hay  into  the  house 
and  with  some  string  make  the  hay  doll  described  and 
illustrated  in  Chapter  IV. 

This  is  the  month  when  cherries  are  ripe.  The  young- 
est child  cannot  climb  trees,  but  he  can  help  put  the 
cherries  into  baskets  and  bring  to  Mother  for  canning. 
Of  course  he  will  want  to  eat  some  raw,  but  see  to  it  if 
possible  that  you  portion  him  his  share. 

He  finds  there  are  bites  taken  out  of  some  of  the 
cherries.    Yes,  the  robins  like  cherries,  too! 

Take  walks  in  search  of  wild  flowers.  The  wild  roses 
by  the  roadside  are  so  fresh  in  the  morning  dew!  The 
black-eyed  Susans  in  the  meadow  are  a  pest  to  the 
farmer,  for  they  spoil  his  hay,  but  they  are  pretty  to 
gather.  The  white  daisies,  too,  are  lovely  decorations 
for  summer  porches.  One  should  have  a  book  concern- 
ing wild  flowers  and  one  of  birds,  especially  through 
the  summer  months  when  flowers  and  birds  are  here  to 
watch  and  examine. 

The  children  who  must  remain  in  the  hot  city  have 
many  things  to  enjoy,  for  a  short  ride  or  walk  will  take 
them  to  a  park  where  flowers  are  blossoming,  birds  are 
singing,  and  fountains  are  playing.  There  are  marine 
parks  near  the  ocean  and  parks  near  inland  lakes  so  that 
groups  of  children  can  be  taken  by  mothers  or  teachers 
to  places  of  rest  and  recreation. 

Do  not  miss  a  band  concert,  for  music  is  always  a 
delight  to  children  and  is  good  for  them  to  hear. 


336 


SUGGESTIVE  PROGRAMMES 

FOURTH  OF  JULY 

Let  us  not  forget  this  month  gives  to  the  United  States 
the  most  memorable  hoHday  of  the  year.  July  4th  is  the 
anniversary  of  the  day  when  this  country  became  a  free 
and  independent  country.  Tell  the  children  briefly  a  few 
of  the  historical  facts.  Let  us  keep  up  with  the  modern 
tendency  of  the  day,  to  think  less  about  firecrackers 
and  more  about  the  real  meaning  of  the  day. 

Let  them  see  the  parade,  hear  the  band  concert,  and 
see  fireworks  conducted  by  those  who  know  how  to 
handle  fire. 

Small  firecrackers  and  torpedoes  are  sufficient  for  lit- 
tle children  and  even  then  should  be  carefully  watched. 

Let  the  children  make  up  a  parade  of  their  own.  Of 
course  some  one  carries  a  drum,  some  one  hums  on  a 
comb  covered  with  tissue  paper,  and  another  has  a  toy 
horn.  Let  them  make  soldier  caps  and  wear  them  as 
they  go  marching  down  the  street. 

With  their  blocks  they  can  build  a  fort,  or  outdoors 
in  the  back  yard  they  can  gather  boards  and  boxes 
enough  to  make  a  big  barricade  and  play  battle. 

If  the  children  are  to  keep  quiet  in  the  house  for  a 
while  on  this  great  day,  they  can  use  their  crayons  to 
draw  illustrations  or  cut  and  make  toys  that  represent 
guns,  firecrackers,  or  flags. 

The  day  would  not  be  complete  without  singing 
patriotic  songs,  saluting  the  flag,  and  seeing  it  hauled 
down  at  sundown  while  Big  Brother  blows  the  proper 
call  on  his  bugle. 


337 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

August 

With  the  sun  in  its  zenith,  the  midsummer  month 
gives  one  a  full  realization  of  heat,  thunder  showers,  and 
a  desire  to  be  more  lax  in  the  hours  of  work.  The  child 
feels  it  from  his  standpoint  and  therefore  he  should  be 
given  a  care-free  life  and  a  chance  to  grow  like  every- 
thing else  in  Nature. 

Do  not  burden  him  with  too  much  clothing  or  insist 
upon  being  spruced  up  for  company.  If  he  is  at  home 
let  him  play  in  a  sand  pile  which  you  can  place  in  a  low, 
large  box,  under  a  tree.  His  pet,  which  may  be  a  dog  or 
eat,  will  be  content  to  lie  under  the  tree  near  his  little 
master  and  sleep  while  the  play  is  going  on. 

A  bird  will  sing  overhead,  and  because  of  your  formei 
talks  with  the  child,  he  will  look  to  discover  the  little 
songster  and  perhaps  run  to  tell  you  he  has  seen  an 
oriole. 

When  your  household  tasks  are  done,  go  out  and  join 
him.  Tell  him  stories  of  outdoor  life,  an  animal  story,  a 
fairy  tale,  or  perhaps  he  would  like  to  hear  about  some 
children  who  are  playing  just  as  he  is  in  some  far-off 
land.    (See  Volume  I.) 

In  his  sand  pile  he  will  want  to  make  a  toy  village  il- 
lustrating what  you  are  talking  about.  Bring  out  from 
the  house  heavy  paper,  scissors,  and  crayons  with  which 
to  construct  houses,  bridges,  etc.  With  the  assistance 
of  stones,  moss,  and  twigs  a  cunning  village  will  be  made 
to  represent  the  home  of  a  Chinese  boy,  or  of  little 
Dutch  children.    (See  Chapter  IX.) 

As  the  market-man  drives  up  to  the  door  and  gives 


ILLUSTRATING  WITH  CRAYONS 


SUGGESTIVE  PROGRAMMES 

you  your  choice  of  many  vegetables,  you  are  reminded 
once  again  of  the  farmer  and  that  August  is  one  of  his 
busiest  months. 

Discuss  with  your  child  and  a  group  of  his  playmates, 
who  have  joined  him  for  the  afternoon,  all  the  things 
that  can  be  found  growing  at  their  best  and  coming  to 
maturity  now.  Every  summer  vegetable  is  about  ready 
to  be  served  on  the  dinner-table.  The  farmer  and  his 
helpers  must  hasten  to  gather  them  in  before  they  spoil. 
They  must  be  sold  to  the  market-man  who  in  turn  sells 
them  to  us. 

Help  the  child  to  keep  watch  of  his  garden  that 
nothing  may  go  to  waste. 

Look  for  the  bugs  and  worms  that  destroy  plants  and 
show  the  child  how  to  get  rid  of  them. 

Mother  must  begin  to  can  vegetables  and  the  little 
girl  can  help.  Show  her  how  to  shell  peas,  cut  up  string 
beans,  and  peel  tomatoes. 

Blackberries,  blueberries,  and  raspberries  are  ripe. 
The  children  can  pick  many  quarts  of  these  with  their 
nimble  little  fingers,  and  thus  help  with  the  preserving. 

The  month  of  August  finds  the  wild  flowers  and  gar- 
den beds  in  full  blossom.  Discuss  every  new  flower  you 
find. 

The  birds,  bees,  insects,  and  animals  are  coming  to 
maturity.  The  baby  birds  are  spreading  their  wings  and 
flying  with  mother,  the  kittens,  though  still  playful,  are 
quite  weaned  from  mother's  care. 

The  farmer  says  it  is  time  that  the  grain  is  cut  and 
threshed.  Wonderful  machinery  is  made  to-day  which 
is  of  great  assistance  to  him.    Farmers  often  club  to- 

339 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

gether  in  owning  these  machines  and  take  turns  going 
from  one  farm  to  another  assisting  in  the  mighty  task  of 
reaping.  If  children  are  fortunate  enough  to  hve  on  a 
farm,  or  visit  the  farm  at  this  harvest-time,  the  experi- 
ence will  never  be  forgotten  and  the  process  of  work  will 
be  thoroughly  understood. 

Pictures  are  the  next  best  substitute.  Explain  to  the 
children  that  acres  and  acres  of  the  United  States  and 
other  countries  are  seeded  down  every  spring  and  the 
harvest  of  grains  gathered  every  summer  that  we  may 
have  flour  and  cereals  the  next  winter. 

Eggs  are  plentiful  now.  Explain  how  they  are  pre- 
served in  large  quantities  for  cooking  purposes  during 
the  coming  winter. 

Chickens  have  grown  large  enough  to  be  sold  for  eat- 
ing. 

The  cows  must  be  milked  night  and  morning.  The 
milk  must  be  cooled,  sealed  in  bottles,  and  sent  to  the 
city  to  be  sold.  The  milk  not  used  in  this  way  goes  to 
factories  to  be  made  into  butter  and  the  sour  milk  is 
made  into  cheese. 

Give  the  child  some  cream  in  a  bowl  and  with  an  egg- 
beater  let  him  beat  until  the  cream  becomes  butter. 
Season  it  with  salt  and  roll  into  balls  that  he  may  use 
his  own  butter  on  his  bread.  This  way,  though  crude, 
gives  him  a  chance  to  see  what  the  process  is  when  but- 
ter is  made  in  large  churns  in  the  factory. 

The  little  pigs  of  the  spring-time  are  now  hogs.  They 
must  be  sold  and  killed  that  we  may  have  pork,  bacon, 
and  lard. 

A  great  deal  of  respect  must  be  paid  to  the  farmer  for 
340 


SUGGESTIVE  PROGRAMMES 

his  toil  and  all  that  he  accomplishes.  From  his  land  we 
are  fed,  and  the  wool  from  his  sheep  in  due  time  be- 
comes cloth  with  which  we  are  clothed.  The  world  is 
dependent  for  its  existence  upon  Nature  through  the 
toil  of  the  farmer.  One  cannot  explain  these  facts  too 
often  or  too  fully  to  a  child. 

Songs  (see  Volume  V) : 

Let  the  child  choose  songs  he  likes  to  sing. 

As  he  goes  to  bed  he  may  want  to  sing  about  the  stars. 
The  flowers  will  remind  him  of  spring  and  summer  songs. 
Mother  Goose  songs  have  their  place  in  the  fun  time. 

Games: 

Singing-games  always  fill  the  air  with  children's  happy 
voices.  The  warm  weather  will  call  forth  the  more  quiet 
games.  The  little  girl  will  want  to  play  house  with  her 
dolls. 

Dramatizing  stories  and  poems  can  be  done  very  im- 
promptu under  the  trees. 

Occupation: 

Free  use  of  paper,  pencil,  crayons,  and  paint  should 
be  given  the  child.  Through  the  winter  he  has  had  in- 
struction enough  to  give  him  ideas  of  what  he  wants  to 
draw. 

Tearing  and  cutting  is  just  as  fascinating. 

Let  him  make  toys  from  spools  and  boxes  and  play 
vvith  them  in  his  sand  pile  or  toy  village. 

With  pebbles  he  will  make  pictures  and  with  leaves  he 
will  make  wreaths  and  picture  frames. 

341 


CHILDREN'S  OCCUPATIONS 

Our  daily  talks  with  the  children  should  be  such  that 
in  their  playtime,  rather  than  hunt  up  some  mischief 
to  do,  they  will  be  eager  to  work  out  in  occupation  the 
educational  thoughts  which  in  due  time  will  make  the 
children  of  to-day  true  citizens  and  thinkers  of  the  fu- 
ture for  better  and  saner  policies  of  the  world's  interests. 


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